


love after death

by taeils



Category: Block B
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 13:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 33,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1187028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeils/pseuds/taeils
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the bus crash turns jiho's life upside down - literally. it's not so easy, coming back from the dead; but with the help of his best friend, a pushy ghost, a cheeky werewolf, a clueless vampire, and an irritable incubus, he just might find that life after death is better than expected. especially if there's a silver haired demon involved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	love after death

jiho doesn't remember much about the crash itself. screeching tires, the alarmed shouts of the bus' other passengers, and then a splitting pain like a hundred knives being stabbed into his body. he finds out later from kyung that the pain had mostly been caused by the shards of glass from the window through which jiho had flown; kyung tells him they had removed enough glass from his torso alone to form at least one window. he doesn't like to dwell on that, though, for if he thinks too hard, he can almost picture himself, laying lifeless on the cold hard cement 10 feet from the bus.  
what he does remember, however, with distinct clarity, is coming to with a dull ringing in his ears, the air pressure so thick it was almost impossible to breathe, let alone think. he could see the bus tipped over on its side, windows shattered, a light layer of snow beginning to pile on top of it. strange, how he didn't feel the bitter winter cold.  
and then there were the bodies. not strewn about in bloody array as he would have expected, but forming a single file line leading away from the crash site. no one else in sight, just that procession of people, all of whom had been on that bus same as jiho. they appeared unscathed, but their expressions were what really stood out in jiho's mind; blank, empty faces. even now he sometimes recalls it as one of the most chilling things he's ever seen.  
they were all dead.  
and jiho would be, too, if he joined them.  
he couldn't deny the pull he felt, the strange otherworldly force directing him toward the procession.  
but jiho was a fighter. still is, he boasts. summoning all the strength left in his mortal body, he turned and fled. away from the scene, away from the other victims, away from death. it was like his whole body had caught on fire, burning and seering and tearing and morphing and god, it hurt so much, until he could barely keep his eyes open and he collapsed onto the ground, unable to move another inch.  
then, darkness claimed him.

 

when jiho awakens, it feels like he's been asleep for years. his whole body aches in every muscle and joint, from his toes to his fingers, and his eyes take a long time to adjust to the sunlight.  
... sunlight?  
he shakes himself into higher awareness, taking in his surroundings. this is definitely not his bed. or his bedroom, for that matter. this is... hard ground?  
he stumbles to his feet, looking around. he is, as far as he can tell, in the middle of nowhere. or rather, upon closer inspection, he discovers that he is, to his dismay, at the edge of a graveyard, with no recollection of why he is there or how he even got there to begin with.  
the place is eerily quiet, a thin blanket of snow covering everything as if to muffle all sound. he can see his breath and feel the cool air against his skin, an icy breeze penetrating his jacket. despite this, jiho finds he's not cold.  
he tries not to think too much: on the fact that he has no idea what day it is, that he is still in the clothes he wore during the crash. there's a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that tells him it's been a while, that more time has passed than he'd care to imagine. it feels both as if only a day and a year have passed, and he can't tell which frightens him more.  
he knows he should be dead.  
he knows.  
but rather than linger on that, he focuses on identifying his location and attempting to find civilization to reorient himself. at least if he does this, he'll be able to make his way back to someone who can help him. there is only one person he can think to turn to, and he can only hope that person is still where he last remembers.  
it's not hard for jiho to find a bus terminal. the sight of it makes him tense with anxiety, but he ignores that and tries to find any loose change in his pockets. he manages to scrape up just enough and stands around, hands shoved in his jacket pockets, waiting.  
he'll figure this out. he has to.  
there's an an empty seat at the back of the bus which jiho eagerly takes after paying fare. he slumps in the seat, breathing deeply and closing his eyes. his nerves threaten to take over, but he forces himself to stay calm. the ride won't be long. he can even get off early and walk a little more, considering the cold didn't bother him.  
he wishes he knew where his phone was, at least to check the time and date and text kyung to let him know he's coming-  
his thought goes unfinished when he catches sight of the electronic bulletin at the front of bus, numbers flashing in neon on the screen. his throat tightens and he clenches his jaw.  
it's been a month.  
a month has passed since the crash. he's been unconscious or god knows what for a whole month.  
he needs to see kyung. and fast.

 

jiho knows something is off. maybe it's the sickening crack as his fingers get caught in the bus door as he's descending, or maybe it's the fact that it doesn't hurt at all, and the slices in his skin don't bleed a single drop of blood.  
"christ, i'm so sorry, oh god," the driver exclaims, going ghostly pale as he jumps up to examine jiho's hand. "oh my god, that looks awful! you need to go to a hospital! oh god, i'll pay for a taxi-"  
"i'm fine, really," jiho interjects, alarmed by how hoarse his voice comes out. going a month without speaking will do that, he supposes.  
"no, you are definitely not fine!" the driver insists, "your skin is ice cold! and so pale, too! lord, you must be ill. i can't believe i- wait just a moment, i'm going to call a taxi for you!" and, with that, he scrambles to grab his cell phone from the driver's seat. but before he can even dial the number, jiho has already fled down the street, ignoring the frantic call of, "young man, wait!" as he turns down an alley.  
only once he's put a good distance between himself and the bus terminal does he stop to examine his hand in detail. two fingers are definitely broken. the other two are badly twisted, and scrapes line his knuckles.  
but he's not bothered so much by the injury as he is by the fact that it doesn't hurt. at all. it's disconcerting, to say the least. he figures this isn't going to be the last time strange things happen to him, though. the fact that he's still alive - if he can call it that - is strange enough on it's own. he should probably get used to strange, huh.  
resting another moment in an attempt to regain his composure, jiho resumes his track and arrives exactly where's he'd meant to go: the apartment of his best friend.  
he buzzes the door and waits, glad to finally be able to see a familiar face. after a short while, the door swings open.  
"park kyung," jiho says with a relieved sigh. "i'm-" but he doesn't finish, noticing the way kyung is staring at him.  
"you've got to be fucking kidding me," kyung says.

 

jiho's not sure what to do. he's lucky he didn't take a step further because if he'd been any closer, he's pretty sure he'd have a broken nose right now.  
he hadn't quite expected kyung to slam the door in his face like that.  
"park kyung, this isn't funny," he says loudly, banging on the door with a fist. "come on, stop fucking around and let me in!"  
waiting a few moments in silence, jiho is about to start banging again when it slowly opens just a crack, enough for kyung to peer out at him with wide eyes.  
"i didn't realize i got that little sleep last night," he mutters to himself, staring fixedly at jiho. "i've never had hallucinations this bad before."  
"hallucinations- if this is your idea of a joke, it's not funny." now jiho does take a step forward, and kyung trembles, door threatening to close again.  
"d-don't come any closer, you hear!" he says weakly. "i-i don't have any room in my home for evil spirits or ghosts-" jiho rolls his eyes.  
"stop being ridiculous, kyung, it's me! woo jiho! your best friend! just let me in already, alright?"  
"this has to be a dream," kyung shakes his head, seeming to ignore him. "i swear to god, if i don't wake up soon-"  
but jiho has lost his patience. without waiting for kyung to finish, he pushes his way inside and punches kyung square in the jaw with as much strength as he can muster. kyung's knees buckle and he crumbles to the floor, groaning and clutching at his face.  
"oh my god," kyung murmurs, "it really is you."  
"of course it is, don't be stupid!" jiho snaps impatiently, "you can stop joking around now!"  
"y-you're not a ghost, are you?" kyung asks feebly, eyes round with disbelief.  
"i just punched you in the face," jiho folds his arms, exhaling noisily. "i don't think so."  
"oh my god," kyung murmurs again. "oh my god." he unsteadily rises to his feet, one hand still pressed to his jaw where jiho's fist had connected with it.  
"ok, ok, i get it you're-" but jiho doesn't get to finish because kyung is reaching out, fingers brushing along the features of his face, gently touching his skin. jiho falls silent and kyung presently takes a step closer.  
"... it is you," kyung says, so softly that jiho has to strain to hear him. "i... i can't believe it.." he gradually wraps his arms around jiho, burying his face against jiho's shoulder. "you're even in the same clothes... i .....that is, i went to your funeral..."  
jiho's eyes widen instantly.  
oh.  
oh god.  
so that's why kyung had...  
so jiho really was dead?  
then how is standing here now?  
unless...  
somehow he had managed to cheat death...  
"and you're really not a ghost...?" kyung draws back, eyes obviously wet, and jiho feels a pang of guilt for having forced his way in, for being so quick-tempered with the shorter male.  
funeral. there'd been a fucking funeral.  
"two weeks ago," kyung says quietly, as if reading jiho's thoughts. "it was two weeks ago." jiho goes limp. "i... i mean, i can't believe... but how are you still alive?"  
"i'm... not sure," jiho admits. "i mean, i'm not sure i am alive." kyung blinks at him, clearly confused.  
"what do you mean? then what are you?"  
and then jiho starts to put the pieces together. his escape. the reason he couldn't feel the cold. the reason his hand could break and not bleed, and the reason he didn't feel any pain.  
the reason he's standing in the doorway of kyung's apartment instead of laying in his grave.  
"the living dead," he mumbles.  
".... what?" kyung asks.  
"the living dead," jiho repeats, more loudly this time. "i... think i'm a zombie."

 

"you're not going to eat my brain, are you?" kyung asks. jiho glares at him from his cross-legged position on the floor. "what? it's a serious question. i need to know that i'm gonna be safe with you under my roof."  
"you've seen too many horror movies," jiho scowls. "i don't think it works like that."  
"really??" kyung asks interestedly. "how can you tell?"  
"come on," the taller male asserts, "how many zombie movies portrayed the living dead as intelligent, functioning people?"  
"i don't know so much about intelligent-" jiho grunts, scowling yet again. "ok, ok, i'm only kidding," kyung laughs, grinning. "i'm just... i'm glad you're back, jiho."  
jiho's expression softens and he averts his gaze to the floor. "me, too," he coughs. if he'd looked back up, he'd have caught kyung still grinning fondly at him.  
"so what are you going to do?" kyung asks. "i mean, to the rest of the world, you're dead." now jiho does look up.  
"i haven't thought that far ahead yet," he replies, fiddling with the edge of his jacket.  
"there's a death certificate and everything," kyung goes on, "it'd be pretty hard for you to get a job now. well, we could do some illegal stuff and get you a fake id-"  
"do you even know how to do anything like that?" jiho cuts in with an incredulous look at his friend. kyung sheepishly shakes his head. "it's a nice thought, but i guess for now i'm gonna have to avoid anything that involves showing identification."  
"then what are you gonna do about buying things you need? you don't have any money." kyung is quick to throw more questions at him. "you'll definitely need more clothes. i don't know what happened to your old ones, sorry," he frowns sympathetically as jiho lets out a sigh. "i'd offer to let you borrow mine, but apart from the t-shirts, i'm not sure what'd fit- oh my god!!" jiho starts at the male's sudden outburst, looking around frantically.  
"what?! what is it??"  
"y-y-your hand!" kyung sputters, shakily pointing with one finger. "what the fuck happened, are you ok???"  
oh. jiho had completely forgotten about the wound from the accident earlier.  
"yeah, i'm fine," he reassures, but kyung hardly looks convinced. "it's not like i can go to the hospital for it, anyway. i have no id, remember?" he points out.  
"but..." kyung continues to stare at the injury with obvious apprehension, "it looks really bad. are you sure you're ok?"  
"yeah," jiho nods fervently. "it doesn't hurt. i forgot i even had it until you reminded me just now."  
"but how did it happen?" kyung inquires, still not appearing convinced.  
and so jiho explains. not just the bus incident, but from the crash up to now. kyung listens attentively, staying quiet until jiho concludes with his arrival at the apartment.  
"you really cheated death, huh," he murmurs, awe in his voice. "it's hard to believe, but considering you're sitting in my living room right now, i don't have a choice."  
"i know," jiho says. "i can barely believe it myself. i still don't know how any of this is gonna work, but i guess we'll just learn as we go." kyung nods once.  
"mark my words, though, there's gonna be some sort of consequence," he says grimly. "it may seem fine right now, but nobody's gonna escape from death scot-free." anxiety grips jiho at his friend's bold statement, but he shakes it off, scoffing.  
"don't be so superstitious," he chides. "what could possibly happen?"  
it's later that evening when he's fighting tears, squeezing kyung's fingers with his free hand while his injured hand stings and burns with immense pain, that he thinks there might have been a grain of truth to kyung's warning.

 

kyung manages to convince his parents to give him some money, which he in turn gives to jiho to pay for a decent wardrobe, enough that he at least has something for each day of the week. jiho thanks him profusely for the endeavor, but kyung brushes it off with assurance that jiho would have done the same for him (which is true to some extent, but jiho's not sure when or how kyung would end up in the same state as him anyway).  
over the next few months, jiho learns more about his "condition."  
food, as it turns out, is completely unnecessary. but even though he doesn't need to eat, he still gets hunger pangs and experiences no major side effects from eating (or not) like normal.  
similarly, he learns that he also doesn't need to sleep. he doesn't get tired, and frankly only sleeps out of habit. it beats spending that time awake with no way to occupy himself and no way to kill the time.  
but perhaps the most important thing he learns is that it is impossible to permanently injure himself. after the first incident with his hand, he experiments with different severities of wounds; from paper cuts to even jumping off the roof of kyung's apartment complex. it takes almost a whole day after he fully heals for kyung to speak to him again ("you scared the daylights out of me! of course i knew you'd be fine, but that doesn't mean i'm gonna be!") and jiho feels particularly guilty, but in kyung's words, he gets what's coming to him - for there's a catch.  
though he's practically invincible, the process of regenerating and healing the wounds causes intense, sharp, sometimes agonizing pain depending on how bad the injury is. paper cut? heals just fine with little to no pain. jumping from a roof, on the other hand? now that's a different story.  
still, in spite of it all, jiho finds himself inexplicably bored. unless kyung gives him money - which the male does willingly, for the most part - he has nothing to do. he spends a lot of his time laying around kyung's apartment, especially when kyung leaves for his part-time job doing god knows what, jiho can hardly bring himself to care, not when kyung is abandoning him half the days of the week.  
and then, one evening, kyung brings it home.  
"jiho! jiho, you have to see this!" he calls breathlessly, shedding his jacket in a hurry as jiho stretches and comes out of the bedroom to meet him. "i saw it at the office when- but anyway, you have to look at this!" he shoves a crumbled newspaper into jiho's hand and jabs a finger at an ad toward the bottom. "here. read here," he says, panting as he tries to get his breath back.  
"who even reads a newspaper anymore," jiho mutters, unimpressed, but his attitude changes significantly when he catches sight of the headline.  
"demon express: service attendants wanted!" it's written in a tacky gothic font, the thick letters almost blending together on the small page.  
"what is this?" he looks back up at kyung curiously, but kyung shakes his head.  
"read on," he urges. and so jiho does.  
"perhaps you aren't aware of this fact, but humans are not the only creatures roaming this earth. attention all ghouls, ghosts, goblins, and the like! be it work, travel, or everyday life, we are mercilessly excluded. but have no fear! if you are looking for a job or transportation, you need look no further. the demon express is the most trusted (and only!) train station for monsters of any kind, with stops across all of south korea. job applicants, please see lee taeil at the demon express train station by closely following the instructions listed below. warning: if the instructions are not followed exactly as they are written, you will not be able to find the station." indeed, a detailed account of how to find said station closely follows.  
jiho rereads it a third time before kyung nudges him in the ribcage with an eager elbow. "well? what do you think??"  
a different scenario plays out in jiho's head. if he hadn't been in the accident. if he and kyung were living normally. kyung brings the paper home to show him this particular ad, and they spend the whole evening laughing their asses off at the ridiculousness of it.  
even now, it does seem rather ridiculous. whoever wrote the ad up obviously has poor taste, but he can't deny that-  
"it seems promising," he says, unable to curb his enthusiasm. this is his chance. if this is for real, he might actually be able to get a job. he might actually be able to do something.  
"i knew you'd say that," kyung beams.

 

they set out first thing in the morning after kyung wakes up. jiho had attempted to sleep that night, too, but had been far too anxious. through the process of much analysis and critical thinking, he's more than a little skeptical about the ad ("what critical thinking?" kyung asks, stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth, "are you seriously that hung up on the font choice?" and jiho chokes on his morning coffee), but he's still willing to try this out.  
even if it does come to nothing, at least he can say he tried.  
newspaper tucked under arm, he and kyung are on their way. it's a 15 minute bus ride to the nearest marker in the directions, and then 20 minutes of wandering around on foot into a small wooded area. jiho mentally notes that they have yet to see anything remotely out of the ordinary.  
"i know what you're thinking," kyung voices, shooting a look toward the taller male whose eyes are glued to the newspaper. "'what if it really is a hoax,' 'it's probably not real,' 'we should just go home-'"  
"actually," jiho cuts in, raising his head to look around, "i was wondering which way is northeast from here." kyung cocks an eyebrow at him.  
"this way," he points, and jiho leads the way.  
"strange," jiho mutters, reading through the directions once more. "it says it shouldn't take that long to get there. i feel like we've been going in circles."  
"jiho," kyung says, slightly awed, but the taller male isn't listening.  
"i'm not doing something wrong, am i? i mean, it says you have to be thinking about the station to be able to find it, and i have to admit, for a little while there i was thinking about how i'd really like a sub for lunch-"  
"jiho," kyung repeats, but the male still doesn't listen.  
"and we've already been out here for, what, 45 minutes? why'd you think it'd be a good idea to let me lead, anyway? you know i'm awful at this sort of thing, i have no sense of direction-"  
"jiho!" kyung says exasperatedly, tugging at jiho's sleeve.  
"what?" the male asks, finally looking up. "if you have something to say-" but the rest goes unsaid because he finally notices the reason kyung had wanted his attention.  
an expansive gothic station looms in front of them, the train tracks seeming to appear from thin air just beyond. even from outside, the place looks incredibly busy, bundled figures coming and going through the vast entrance. the whole scene unfolds surreally, as if jiho had fallen asleep and woken in another world.  
"wow," is all he can manage to get out.  
"you got that right," kyung exhales in a whistle, eyes following the intricate design of the station's exterior. "i don't know what i was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this."  
"who knew a place like this actually exists," jiho nods in agreement. he can still scarcely believe the grand structure is real. it looks so old fashioned, as if it had been built centuries ago. he swears he learned about some kinds of gothic structures in school, but he certainly thinks they all pale in comparison with this.  
shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he mutters, "let's hurry up and find this lee taeil guy's office."  
"good idea," kyung says, following in jiho's footsteps as they approach the entrance. after a moment, though, he teasingly adds, "so about that critical thinking..."  
"oh, shut up," jiho grumbles, briefly turning back to glare at him.

 

the station is just as impressive inside as it is outside. jiho would love to stop and examine all the intriguing design features, from the ribbed arches above to the stain glass windows that he hadn't seen from the outdoors; however, the amount of people walking through the space, regardless of how huge it is, keeps him going at a hurried pace, only sparing glances in the direction of anything that catches his eye.  
the pair wander along with the flow of traffic. kyung seems more interested in the creatures surrounding them than the building itself, hissing in jiho's ear that he swears he sees a ghost a few feet ahead of them. jiho nudges him in the gut to keep him quiet until they can break away, pulling back into an uninhabited area by an empty platform.  
"watch what you say while we're here," he tells kyung in a hushed voice. "i'd rather not be conspicuous, okay? not to mention, what if saying shit like that will offend them?"  
"i love how we're so calm when i just saw a ghost and we're in a magic train station for monsters," is kyung's only reply, a childish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "you know, if something like this happened to me a while back, i'd have freaked the fuck out."  
"and what about now?" jiho asks, folding his arms.  
"now?" a full smile breaks across his face. "this is the coolest thing ever!" jiho can't help but smile as well, the shorter male's enthusiasm rubbing off on him and dispelling his serious mood.  
"yeah, alright, alright, let's get a move on. we still have to find that lee taeil guy," he mutters.  
"but where do we look?" kyung questions, gazing around, "this place is huge."  
"well, we have to start somewhere," jiho purses his lips. kyung sighs and nods, following behind him as they retreat back toward the more crowded areas.

 

it actually doesn't take that long to find lee taeil, but only because kyung has the sense (despite jiho's objection) to ask where to find him.  
"i said i don't want to be conspicuous!" jiho whines, failing at grabbing ahold of the shorter male's arm to stop him.  
"nonsense! we won't get anywhere on our own," kyung says definitively, approaching a rather friendly looking male in uniform. "excuse me, could you help us? we're looking for the office of lee taeil?"  
the male's eyes light up. "you mean the station master," he says, smiling. there's a growl in his voice, but it doesn't make him sound unfriendly. jiho finds himself wondering, in spite of his displeasure, if the male is some sort of beast, like a werewolf perhaps. "of course. his office can be found at the very end of the station. you can't miss it," he points, smiling warmly at them. or maybe it's only at kyung, since jiho is still hovering behind him uncomfortably.  
"thank you very much," kyung grins, bowing his head a bit before grabbing jiho and pulling him in the direction the uniformed male had gestured. "see?" he nudges jiho lightly in the ribcage, "that wasn't so hard, was it?"  
jiho grumbles in response.  
they maneuver to the end of the station, hindered only twice by large groups of passengers unloading from arriving trains. indeed, there is only one office there, and a sign printed just outside reads, "lee taeil, station master."  
jiho and kyung exchange a look before jiho takes a deep breath and knocks on the door.  
"it's open," calls an unexpectedly high-pitched voice. another exchanged look and then the tall male is pushing the door open.  
"yes, hello, i'm really quite busy. how may i help you?" the voice belongs to a rather short, transparent man. he has middle parted hair, black lipstick, and thick, circular glasses, and jiho can't help thinking he's never seen a tackier looking person in his whole-  
"you're a ghost!" kyung exclaims, a little too eagerly. the male starts a bit, looking up from a stack of papers he's been glancing over, and squints at kyung. after a moment, he bursts out laughing, this time startling both jiho and kyung.  
"and you're a human, how very interesting," the ghost says with a grin. "i'm surprised you made it this far. humans don't usually come wandering in here on their own accord. what brings you here?"  
"you're lee taeil, then?" jiho cuts in before kyung can speak again, and the ghost's gaze shifts to him.  
"yes, that's me," he stands from his desk, bowing. "station master, at your service."  
"great," jiho says, relieved. "i was wondering if you could give me a job."  
"a job?" taeil stares at him for a moment before understanding flashes across his faces. "ah, yes! you must have seen the ad i put in the newspaper!" jiho nods fervently. he understands now why that ad was so outlandish. "good, good! except there's one problem," the ghost clasps his hands formally, deterring jiho for only a short moment. "i only hire monsters."  
"but i am one," jiho tells him almost the instant he finishes the sentence.  
"wh- really??" taeil asks, appearing astonished. "very odd! usually i'm spot on at telling what creatures i'm dealing with. what are you, then?"  
"he's a zombie!" kyung pipes up before jiho can open his mouth, and the taller male flushes as taeil raises an eyebrow.  
"i prefer the term living dead, actually," he mumbles. "it sounds a little more, you know, professional."  
"how wonderful, i've never hired any of the living dead before," the ghost says cheerfully. "this is perfect, you have great timing! i actually just retrieved the revised version of the employee contract," he turns around, shuffling through the assorted papers on his desk before pulling out a specific one. before be hands it to jiho, though, he hesitates. "well, there is... i hope you'll forgive me, but it's a requirement that i first verify that you are, indeed, a monster."  
jiho blinks at him for a few seconds, wracking his brain for any sort of proof he could provide. an idea hits him, and he quickly blurts, "may i borrow your pen?"  
taeil hands the writing utensil to him without question. breathing in and out, jiho takes the pen and stabs it into his hand. kyung lets out a sound of alarm.  
"a little warning before you do something like that would be nice," he groans, looking queasy.  
"sorry," jiho gives him an apologetic frown.  
the wound, being shallow as it is, heals relatively painlessly within a minute, leaving taeil clapping excitedly and hopping in place.  
"exquisite! i never thought i'd see regeneration this advanced!" he beams. "what a splendid addition to the employee roster! i'd be honored to have you work here." jiho flushes again, embarrassment getting the better of him. but before he can convey gratitude or take the contract from taeil's outstretched hand, there's a knock at the door and the uniformed male from earlier pokes his head into the office.  
"don't mean to interrupt," he smiles amiably, "but sir, train 6 is late again. i believe jaehyo is working that train, sir."  
"oh, confound it all," taeil suddenly slams a hand on his desk, causing jiho and kyung to jump. his enthusiasm from just seconds ago vanishing momentarily, he sighs, "thank you, minhyuk, i'll be right there."  
"very good, sir," the male says, bowing his head. before he leaves, though, his eyes sweep over to kyung and his smile widens. "i see you made it to the office alright."  
"y-yes, thank you," kyung manages to say, smiling nervously.  
"good. you're very cute for a human, you know," minhyuk smiles one last time before ducking out. kyung's cheeks turn light pink, and jiho can't help laughing.  
"i knew it was an awful idea to hire an incubus," taeil sighs once more, commanding their attention again as he searches through his stack one last time and grabs a different sheet of paper before heading toward the door. "please sit tight while i take care of this," he tells the pair. "i'll be right back."  
he doesn't leave them much of a choice as he immediately exits the room.

 

jiho sits on the couch in kyung's living room, still gazing at the neatly folded uniform in his hands. he'd tightly held onto it the whole way back, the day's events still vivid in his mind even now that they'd returned to kyung's apartment.  
it certainly had been a strange day.  
"you're still sitting there?" kyung laughs, coming out of the bathroom with a towel draped over his wet hair. "i thought you'd at least have done something while i showered. you're not planning to stay up all night again, are you? that wouldn't be good, considering we have work tomorrow."  
"you seem to forget that i don't need sleep like you," jiho makes a face. "i don't know, i guess i was just thinking."  
"about what?" kyung asks interestedly, coming over to sit next to him.  
in honesty, he'd been running through everything taeil had told him earlier.  
the ghost had only been gone for a few minutes before he had returned with two uniforms in hand, and it only took kyung's shining eyes and short inquiry to find out that taeil would agree to hire him, as well. he'd then proceeded to explain the contract to them, which jiho remembers verbatim.  
"it's all wordy stuff - much too boring to read through, trust me - but there are a few important points i should tell you about," the ghost had said, holding the contract up to illustrate. "first things first, your salary will be determined by your work schedule, which we'll sort out when you start working tomorrow. i have to see which trains need attendants, you understand. also, your schedule is susceptive to change under extenuating circumstances, such as staff running low on one day or another. for the most part, though, it will remain the same.  
"when it comes to vacation days, you need only discuss with me how long you will be gone so we can work out those details. and if you fall ill for any reason - and i suppose this is directed more at your friend, as i presume the living dead do not acquire illness? - you have one week of undiscussed absence, after which your contract will be terminated. oh, i should mention these are both still paid days off, so no need to worry on that account.  
"your first day will be tomorrow, and i expect to see both of you here, dressed in uniform mind you, at 8:00 am sharp. tardiness will not be tolerated; we run our trains on a very tight schedules, you see. minhyuk will be waiting for you by the first terminal with your solidified work hours and such, so please look for him when you arrive. he is the lead service attendant for most of our trains, so he will also tell you what your duties will be and which train you will attend.  
"let's see... i believe that covers everything, yes. with that aside, welcome aboard the team, you two!"  
it's strange to jiho how he's having such an easy time swallowing all of this. he used to be so sceptical about anything that didn't make logical sense. but he supposes almost dying will skew one’s views, regardless of how conservative they were.  
"earth to jiho..?" kyung says, waving a hand in front of the male's face and bringing him out of his thoughts. "are you still there?"  
"y-yeah, sorry," jiho shakes his head, blinking a few times. "anyway, did you already call your other job? about quitting, i mean."  
"not yet," kyung frowns. "i was gonna do it in a bit. i'll still have to finish up the week, but it's only saturday, so it shouldn't be that bad." jiho nods absently, and kyung raises an eyebrow at him. "you didn't answer my question, you know."  
well, there is something that has been bugging jiho since they left the train station.  
"i'm curious," he says, glancing over at kyung before fiddling with the outline of the uniform still folded on his lap. "why'd you say you wanted a job there, too?"  
"are you kidding??" kyung laughs. "i wouldn't pass up an opportunity to work at a place like that for anything in the world!" jiho blushes lightly, feeling silly for asking. "let's make the best of it, okay?"  
"yeah," jiho nods, a grin forming on his lips.

 

they arrive at the station bright and early. jiho, as kyung had predicted, did not sleep, and had woken the male up with more than enough time to spare, solely for the purpose of not running late.  
"i could have slept for another hour," kyung whines, shooting jiho a dirty look as he smoothes some wrinkles in the front of his uniform. "not to mention, i didn't even get a chance to check that this dang thing looks decent on me!"  
"it looks fine, stop complaining," the taller male scowls.  
the journey to the station is quicker and more successful the second time around, and they discover the gothic building to be rather empty at this time in the morning, at least compared to their previous visit. making their way to the first terminal is a breeze.  
"right on time," minhyuk smiles when they reach him. jiho's rather glad it's him who's there to greet them; it's relieving to see a familiar face. there is another male with him, though, tall and strangely pretty for a guy, jiho has to admit.  
"this is jaehyo," minhyuk informs them, when he notices the direction of jiho's gaze. so he's the male they'd mentioned the previous day? the incubus? "he may not look like much, but he's a capable attendant and he'll be helping show you guys around."  
"don't say things like that, minhyuk," jaehyo says quietly with a frown, nudging him with an elbow, "i can't tell if you're insulting or praising me." kyung snorts, immediately acting innocent when the male directs his downturned lips toward him.  
"so let's get started, shall we?" minhyuk smiles, ignoring while jaehyo continues to pout at him.  
as taeil had told them before, minhyuk has their tentative schedules ("first schedules are always subject to change," he says). jiho and kyung, to each other's dismay, will not be working on the same train - jiho will attend the number 1 train with minhyuk, and kyung will attend the 6 with jaehyo. their work hours, however are the same: 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and they have weekends off.  
"if there is any trouble, i should be notified right away," minhyuk informs them. "as lead attendant, it's my job to oversee any and all problems, so don't hesitate to come to me." he smiles once more. "understood?"  
jiho and kyung answer, "yes, sir," in unison.  
"you can come to me, too, but i probably won't be very helpful," jaehyo says haphazardly. minhyuk mouths, "don't go to him," and the pair snicker, earning a curious look from the confused incubus.  
kyung is obviously reluctant to part when the trains start pulling in, but jiho gives him an encouraging pat on the back and a soft, "fighting!" he can't help feeling a little relieved he's the one who gets minhyuk to help him.  
"you'll be fine," minhyuk laughs when he sees kyung's nervous expression. "jaehyo may seem inadequate and lazy, but he takes his job very seriously. he'll be a very big help you."  
"i said to stop saying things like that," jaehyo grumbles under his breathe.  
"thanks," kyung tells minhyuk, forcing a smile. "i'm not worried."  
"good," minhyuk says, looking amused. "it's about time, now, so you two should go wait by the number 6 terminal." jaehyo nods and begins leading the way. "oh, and kyung?" the shorter male pauses before he starts to follow the incubus, and minhyuk smiles wider than before. "you should know, you look very good in uniform." kyung's cheeks are scarlet as he scurries to catch up with jaehyo, leaving minhyuk chuckling as he beckons for jiho to follow him.  
jiho doesn't start out as nervous as he thinks he should be. he remembers the jobs he'd had before, how anxious he'd been and how much it affected his work. he figures it's better to be calm about it, at least so that he'll be able to remember the basics.  
"this is the number 1 train," minhyuk introduces as they board. "it is the largest of our trains, and also the highest class. the numbers of each train represent the class level, you see."  
"and how many trains are there?" jiho asks, looking around. the entrance is very nice, almost as intricately detailed as the station outside.  
"hundreds," minhyuk says with a smile. jiho gulps. "but you needn't worry about that. come, i'll give you a quick tour of the cars."  
the train, minhyuk explains as they go, is made up of three cars: one is for combined seating, the seats in rows and pairs; the second is for dining, equipped with elegant low tables and neatly displayed silverware and utensils; and the third, where jiho finds out he'll be working, is designed with individual compartments for the vip passengers. that in itself is enough to put a little damper on jiho's spirits.  
"and this area at the front is for attendants’ uses," minhyuk is saying as they finish going around the train. "this is where you can take your breaks. oh, and you don't smoke do you? because monster express is a smoke free zone." he pauses to lean over and check a cabinet for something, and when he straightens, he notices jiho's expression. "usually we would start you off working the first car," he says apologetically, "but the station master seemed adamant that you were capable enough to handle the third. if it doesn't work out, we can always switch your schedule with jihoon's." at least taeil has faith in him, which should count for something.  
"jihoon?" jiho asks, regretting when his voice comes out a little strangled.  
minhyuk gives him a sympathetic look. "he's the other attendant who works this train. he was doing both cars up until now, so it's a good thing you're here to help out. care to meet him?"  
"sure," jiho nods numbly. he's still letting it sink in that he'll be working with the most important people riding the train. he'd really better not fuck this up.  
"jihoon to the front, please. jihoon, to the front," minhyuk broadcasts using a loudspeaker attached the the counter, and then leans against it to wait. "you'll like him, i think. he's very friendly and easy to get along with."  
after only a moment, the door to the first car opens and a tall male steps through. he's almost as tall as jiho but looks much younger, and he smiles sheepishly when he spots the two of them. jiho may or may not have seen pointy teeth in his mouth.  
"hello, hyung," he says, his deep voice startling jiho into standing up straighter. "this is the new guy? the zombie?"  
before jiho can open his mouth to say anything, minhyuk replies with an amused grin, "yes. i believe he prefers 'living dead,' though." jihoon goes pale.  
"oh gosh, i'm sorry," he says, wringing the edge of his uniform shirt and bowing his head at the taller male. "i hope i didn't offend you!"  
jiho recovers quickly and shakes his head, giving the male a reassuring smile. "it's fine, don't worry about it," he says, watching the grin return to jihoon's face. this time he definitely notes the fang-like teeth at the front of his mouth.  
"ah, thank goodness! what would i do if i offended you when we only just met!" he sighs with relief.  
"jiho," minhyuk interjects, addressing the taller male, "jihoon is one of our best attendants. when i'm not working this train, he'll be the one you go to for anything. he's very capable, and i hope you will rely on him."  
"yes, please do," jihoon chimes in eagerly. "i'd love to help if you need me." jiho fails at repressing a smile.  
"thanks," he says genuinely. "i'll probably need it."  
as the train fills up, minhyuk begins to tell jiho about his job. "i believe i mentioned this before, but our trains run on very tight schedules, so punctuality is very important. similarly, you will walk rounds around the third car every hour or so."  
"these are our carts," jihoon continues for him, showing jiho a refreshment-laden cart. "since the vips are all regulars, they have specific orders which you bring them. in the morning, it's that specific order, but the rest of the times they'll just tell you what they want. you shouldn't ever ask them what they want, though. it's disrespectful." jiho gulps.  
"jihoon has a list of the regulars' morning orders, which he will provide you for the first few days. you'd do best to memorize it when you get the chance," minhyuk picks up with a warm smile. "but don't worry, it's a lot easier than you think. and the vips are all quite friendly once you get to know them."  
"yes, definitely," jihoon nods for emphasis. "oh gosh, you don't think i purposefully said anything to make you nervous, do you??"  
jiho quickly shakes his head as he'd done earlier to reassure the male.  
as he follows jihoon out into the first car, he watches a head of silver hair disappear into the second car and tries to remind himself that in a week tops, this will all be routine.

 

at least on that account, jiho is right. faster than he'd expected, he learns his way around.  
when jihoon had given him the list of the vips' morning orders, he'd memorized it in a matter of seconds; his memory, he finds, is extremely keen as the undead: almost photographic when it comes to images, and he often can remember instructions word-for-word.  
basically, he just makes coffee certain ways for well-to-do monsters. the vip passengers rarely order anything else, and only a few converse with him when he enters on his rounds. jihoon says that's how it started off for him, and that given a few weeks, they'll warm up to him, but jiho's skeptical. he's nowhere near as friendly or nice looking as the vampire.  
oh, that's another thing - he finds out that jihoon is a vampire (explains the fangs), and minhyuk is indeed a werewolf, proving his initial suspicions. he's grown quite fond of the growl in the male's voice.  
"it's good to see you getting used to things here so quickly," minhyuk says with a smile as they break for lunch. jiho vaguely wonders if there are any other creatures like him that simply don't need food.  
"yeah, you're good. i had a helluva time adjusting. i was a complete disaster at first!" jihoon laughs, flushing a little.  
"what do you mean?" jiho asks curiously.  
"i didn't know how anything worked," the vampire explains sheepishly. "you know how minhyuk and i are around to help you out now?" jiho nods once. "well, when i started, the staff was so few that it was up to me to figure out how to do everything. let me tell you, i definitely offended more than one person!"  
"but look how much they adore you now," minhyuk says, chuckling.  
"and my condition was horrible in the beginning!" jihoon goes on, undeterred. "i wasn't used to working in daylight, and it took me months before i was virtually unaffected."  
"working in daylight?" jiho repeats, confused. "oh, right, i thought vampires couldn't go out in the sun."  
"a common misconception," jihoon grins. "nothing too bad happens to us if we spend a little bit of time in the sun, but it can make us sick. i spent those months building an immunity to sunlight," he says proudly. jiho whistles.  
when jiho and kyung meet up after work and head back to kyung's apartment, the shorter male animatedly tells jiho all about the interesting monsters he's interacted with.  
"and that jaehyo guy rubbed me the wrong way at first, but he's actually pretty nice," he says with a shrug. "sometimes i think he's an idiot, but sometimes he seems kinda smart. it's hard to tell."  
"sounds like you're describing yourself," jiho mutters.  
"what was that?" kyung's lips form a straight line as he fixes the taller male with a glare.  
"nothing," jiho hums, smiling to himself.  
kyung further demands detailed descriptions of jiho's first few days while they relax on his bed. he enjoys hearing about jihoon, and acts nonchalant when jiho mentions how attentive minhyuk is.  
"wish i was the one working with him," kyung sighs, pouting.  
"you're only saying that because he flirted with you," jiho gives him an entertained look. "twice!" he adds, watching color paint the male's face.  
"that's beside the point," kyung grumbles, averting his gaze to the ceiling. "jaehyo barely helps me at all! i had to learn my job almost entirely by myself!"  
as it gets later and kyung begins to grow tired, jiho remembers one more thing he'd meant to bring up.  
"an empty compartment?" kyung asks, tired voice still laced with interest.  
"yeah," jiho nods, "i asked minhyuk about it, and supposedly it's reserved for a guy named kim yukwon. apparently he's some hot shot businessman who works for one of the companies that funded monster express."  
kyung's eyes widen. "really?? but where is he now?"  
"according to minhyuk, he's on a business trip. left a day after we started work, and not sure when he'll be back," jiho says, gripping the edge of kyung's blanket.  
"i wonder if you saw him without knowing it on your first day," kyung murmurs. "do you think he's hot??"  
"i'm sitting here, worried about his personality, and all you can ask on the matter is if he's hot." jiho deadpans as kyung grins at him. "come on! rich guys like that are always assholes."  
"now now, don't be hasty," kyung laughs, "maybe he'll end up being really nice. and hot."  
"you're only saying that because you don't have to worry about attending him," jiho frowns slightly. "if you were in my position, you'd be anxious, too."  
"maybe," kyung shrugs, laughing again when jiho punches his shoulder. "but don't you think there's no use thinking about it right now? i mean, you don't know anything about the guy apart from his name."  
"he's a demon," jiho interjects, and kyung raises an eyebrow at him.  
"all i'm saying is, give him a chance. if you're gonna be attending him for who knows how long, it's probably better to go in without any prejudice." jiho's expression softens in defeat and he heaves a sigh as he gets up from the bed.  
"you're right," he grumbles, hesitant to admit it, "sorry for keeping you up. get some sleep."  
"you, too, if you feel like it," kyung replies, turning onto his side. "and who knows. you might meet this kim yukwon guy sooner than you think."

 

why is kyung always right, jiho wonders incredulously.  
kim yukwon is about twenty times as handsome as he'd imagined, and 100 times as intimidating. he has a thin, cat-like face, up-turned eyes that make him look like he's constantly smiling, and fluffy, silver hair that jiho can't help but stare at.  
"you're not jihoon," is the first thing yukwon says to him when he enters the compartment on his first rounds. he has one brow raised, either in amusement or bewilderment, jiho can't tell, only that it takes him perhaps too long to manage a reply.  
"y-yeah," he mutters, bowing slightly, "i'm a new employee. woo jiho, at your service."  
"ah, how nice, i was hoping to meet you when i got back from my trip," yukwon does smile now, making jiho's stomach do flip flops. "and how do you like working at monster express?"  
"i-i like it very much," jiho mutters, reaching for the coffee pot and retrieving a cup. oh god, he hadn't reviewed jihoon's list. how did kim yukwon take his coffee? was it-?  
"mocha with extra milk and one packet of sugar," the demon fills in as if on cue, still smiling when jiho looks up from the cart. "it's a minor change from my old order, so i hope you will remember it from now on."  
"of course," jiho says with a short nod, withholding a relieved sigh as he prepares the drink. luck must be on his side.  
"taeil told me there was going to be a be a new attendant before i left, so i spent my whole trip worried whether you'd be tolerable or not, or at the very least capable. it seems i worried for no reason." jiho flushes bright red, nearly spilling coffee on himself.  
"h-here," he mumbles, putting a lid on the drink and offering it to yukwon. the demon smiles dazzlingly at him, accepting the drink and bringing it to his mouth.  
as jiho is about to leave, he suddenly says, "ah," and jiho hesitates, glancing up at him. "your coffee tastes better than jihoon's," yukwon licks his lips.  
"well?" kyung asks when they meet up. he waves and smiles at minhyuk, who returns the gesture before boarding the train as it prepares to leave. "any sign of kim yukwon yet?"  
jiho simply groans. 

 

jiho takes deep breaths. he thinks about pleasant things, tries to stay calm, and most importantly, forces kyung's ringing words out of his mind: "i fucking told you he'd be hot!"  
he makes mental note to break one or two of the shorter male's fingers when they go back to the apartment later.  
and oh god, if he doesn't go in now, he'll run behind on his rounds and possibly upset one of the other vips, especially that old witch lady from the first compartment, she really values punctuality-  
with one last exhale, jiho shakes his head and pushes his cart into the compartment.  
"good morning," he says, throwing on a smile.  
"good morning," yukwon says cheerfully.

 

it's one compliment after another. one smile, one "thank you," one sleepy, "did you have a good evening?"  
it could be a crush, jiho reasons. he'd had them when he was living, so he supposes he can have them when he's undead, too, what with the disgusting way he swoons when anyone so much as mentions yukwon's name.  
their first interactions had been uncomfortable, at least on jiho's part. it had taken more than a few days for his initial awkwardness to blow over, enough that he could begin to have more lengthy conversation with the demon (i.e. more than a simple, "good morning," and, "here's your coffee").  
yukwon's a good listener, an animated speaker, and always has something to say. unlike the other passengers, he never criticizes jiho when he makes a mistake. he's easily the nicest vip (an unbiased opinion, he assures jihoon when the vampire asks).  
"and you're a zombie?" yukwon asks interestedly, fingers cradling the drink jiho had just finished preparing him. somehow the term sounds less corny coming from his mouth. "i've only heard of a small population of zombies in existence. apparently the number is so small since few people manage to come back from the dead. you must be a fighter," he smiles, setting jiho's cheeks ablaze.  
everything's a compliment. how it's possible for one person to be so nice, jiho has no idea, and it's not helping that he has absolutely no control over the color of his face.  
"it's a crush," kyung says smugly.  
it's a crush, jiho thinks in resignation.  
"you know, you're my favorite attendant out of all the attendants who've worked here, and that's saying something since i've been riding these trains since they were first built," yukwon says almost nonchalantly, not looking up from the crossword puzzle in his lap.  
yeah, it's definitely a crush. and jiho is kind of fucking screwed.

 

"it's okay to pick favorites," jihoon tells jiho, watching the taller male fidget by the train entrance.  
"favorites?" he repeats, brow furrowing as he looks up from trying to straighten his uniform jacket.  
"from the vips, i mean," the vampire clarifies, gauging jiho's reaction. "it's not very professional, but even minhyuk hyung has admitted to having them."  
"favorites- i do not have any favorites," jiho scoffs, exhaling indignantly. "and i shouldn't care how many minhyuk has had." a smile tugs at jihoon's lips.  
at that moment, though, and before the vampire can say anything else on the subject, the train doors are opened, passengers begin to file in, and a familiar head of fluffy, silver hair pops into view.  
"g'morning," yukwon says cheerfully.  
"m-morning," jiho responds almost instantly, automatically feeling his face get hot.  
"morning," jihoon echoes, giving the demon a light nudge with his elbow. "it's been a while, yukwon hyung! how's business? any trips coming up?"  
"it's good," yukwon chuckles, nudging him back. "and my schedule is trip free for the moment, although with spring approaching, i imagine i'll have plenty lined up. and how does it feel to attend only one car?"  
"like a dream!" jihoon exclaims, and yukwon chuckles again. jiho wishes the vampire would stop giving him reasons to chuckle because it makes his stomach twist into knots.  
"how wonderful," yukwon grins. "ah, i'd love to stay and chat a little more, but i've got some work to catch up on before i get to the office today. hopefully we can talk more soon."  
"definitely!" jihoon says enthusiastically. "don't let me keep you, then."  
"see you in a little bit," yukwon directs the grin at jiho, eyes twinkling.  
"y-yeah," jiho barely manages to nod before yukwon falls in with the slow trickle of passengers finding their seats and disappears from the first car.  
"you're doing it," jihoon says abruptly. jiho startles and stares at him.  
"doing what?" he asks cautiously.  
"minhyuk hyung told me that whenever yukwon hyung is around, you get this look in your eyes like a lost puppy. he was totally right," jihoon answers remarkably calmly, smirking a bit as jiho flushes. "you sure you don't have any favorites?"  
jiho nearly isn't able to wipe the pout off his face before he starts the morning rounds.  
does everyone know??

 

even when it's been this long, jiho still continues to learn more about his "condition." he finds that attraction is a feeling that has intensified with coming back from the dead, something he definitely wouldn't have paid much mind had kim yukwon not entered the picture.  
every time he flashes that smile at jiho, or even so much as looks at him, he feels weak in the knees. the sound of his voice is enough to make jiho think he'd brave death ten times over just to be able to hear it.  
perhaps it's just a simple attraction, or maybe all the compliments went to jiho's head, he's not certain. he is certain of one thing, though:  
he may or may not want kim yukwon. a lot.  
kyung manages to squeeze a confession out of him. he's always been good at this sort of thing, saying just the right thing to break jiho's resolve. jiho hates it. but at the same time, he's relieved to have someone to talk to.  
"it's natural isn't it?" kyung says, folding his arms across his chest. "i mean, you've been attending him for, what, almost two months now? and i suppose he's given you every reason to feel like this. to be honest, i'm surprised it took you this long. if it'd had been me, i'd have started thinking like that on the first day-"  
"okay, okay, i get it," jiho interjects, giving the shorter male a pointed stare. "fuck, i'm glad i don't think like you." kyung grins.  
"but you do like him," kyung says, emphasizing the word. jiho glares at him. "you want to hold hands with him, hug him, kiss him, maybe fuck him-" the glare becomes more menacing. "oh, don't be like that, jiho! it's something to be happy about!"  
"no it's not," jiho groans, "i have no idea how any of this is going to work. i don't know what our contracts say about relationships, or what yukwon thinks of me, or if it's even worth it to do anything about it."  
"it's always worth it," kyung says, mouth forming a straight line when the taller male glares at him again. "what? i'm serious! look me in the eye and tell me you haven't thought about making out with him when you're making his morning coffee." jiho's cheeks turn magenta.  
"fuck you," he mutters darkly, but kyung just shrugs. "hey! but what about you and minhyuk?!"  
"who?" kyung feigns innocence while jiho rolls his eyes.  
"don't play dumb. i know you guys have been meeting up whenever we get off work," the zombie frowns at him.  
"why'd we change topics? i don't know what you're talking about," kyung whistles, averting his gaze toward the ceiling.  
"come on, if you can know my secrets, you have to tell me yours!" jiho whines.  
"oh, would you look at that, it's past my bedtime. sorry, jiho dearest, but we'll have to finish this talk up another time," kyung pats his shoulder, solemn expression on his face. "keep me updated on the yukwon thing, okay?"  
jiho grunts in frustration as the shorter male hurriedly gets up and vanishes into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. after a moment, he buries his face in a pillow.  
jiho hates park kyung sometimes.

 

"you've been looking chipper these past few mornings," jihoon comments casually. jiho notes that the vampire has steadily grown more and more straightforward, perhaps because they've been working together for a few months. he doesn't like it.  
"yeah, so?" jiho grumbles.  
"you've also been waiting by the front of the train more often," jihoon continues, glancing over as jiho's expression stiffens.  
"we're supposed to wait at the front before the passengers start boarding," jiho says flatly.  
"yeah, but nobody actually pays attention to that," the vampire brushes him off. "i mean, minhyuk's almost never here in the morning until the train's about to leave." he hesitates, mutters, "i wonder where he goes," and then goes on, "anyway, you used to hide out in the dining car until we left the station. what changed?"  
"nothing," jiho folds his arms, hoping to look casual as the vampire steps forward to open the train doors. "i don't know what you're talking about."  
"ah, but i think you do," jihoon grins, and jiho shoots him a warning look as passengers begin to board. "isn't it because you like starting out your day with yukwon hyung's 'good morning-'"  
"be quiet already!" jiho hisses, failing in his attempt to stem blush from spreading across his cheeks. "jeez, you sure do like to talk."  
"i know i'm right," jihoon beams, looking extremely pleased with himself. "deny it all you want, but i know the truth."  
"yeah, yeah, whatever," jiho scowls.  
he doesn't complain when a ghoul commands the vampire's attention and he's left the only one waiting by the entrance as more monsters file in and take their seats.  
but as the train fills up and the other vip passengers pass by, jiho starts to get antsy. yukwon is almost always one of the first people on the train, if not the first. the fact that departure is this soon and there's still no sign of the silver-haired demon has jiho on edge, and when the entrance is clear, he briefly steps out to peer outside. he's met with a mostly empty station, save for minhyuk who is approaching from the direction of the number 6 train.  
"good morning," the werewolf says, smiling for only a moment before he notices jiho's expression. "what's wrong? is something the matter?"  
blush paints jiho's face before he manages a reply. "i-it's yukwon," he mumbles, "he hasn't shown up today."  
"he hasn't?" minhyuk looks surprised. "strange, he would have told me if he had any trips. perhaps he's just running behind."  
"but we're gonna leave soon," jiho bites his lip as minhyuk steps around him to board the train.  
"there's no helping it, i suppose. you'd better come back on, too, if you don't want to get left behind," the werewolf gives him a sympathetic look.  
with a sigh and one last look around the station, jiho follows minhyuk onto the train. it's pathetic, really, that he should be this disappointed. jihoon might actually be right: he's becoming a little too reliant on kim yukwon's good mornings.  
it's by chance that he looks outside one more time while the conductor gives the announcement that the train is leaving the station.  
there. three terminals away, jiho spots the demon, out of breath, eyes wide as the train starts to pull away.  
"close the door, jiho," minhyuk says, but jiho isn't listening. in fact, he's not really even thinking as he sticks an arm out of the moving train and waves at yukwon, catching his attention with ease.  
"come on!" he calls, and yukwon doesn't need more encouragement than that. he makes a run for it, approaching as the train begins to pick up speed.  
jiho thinks this probably would have looked a little comical to anyone watching without knowing what was going on; a silver-haired demon frantically trying to catch up to a train with a zombie sticking his arm out the door, trying to verbally encourage him to reach it.  
the train picks up speed faster than yukwon's legs can carry him, however, and he begins to fall behind. but jiho doesn't give up so easily.  
"grab my hand," he says, practically hanging his entire torso out while holding onto the inside of the car with his other hand. "i'll pull you inside!"  
yukwon gives him a look that plainly says "are you fucking crazy?!" but in the next instant, he feels fingers interlock with his and he's falling backwards into the train, the door slamming shut behind them. the noise draws the attention of minhyuk, who returns to the entrance.  
"yukwon!" minhyuk exclaims, alarm evident in his voice. "you- what just happened?? i heard the door slam-"  
laughter bubbles up in yukwon's chest and spills out breathily as he attempts to push himself up from jiho's chest. jiho tries without success to tone down the burning in his face.  
"you're incredible!" the demon pants, seeming unable to get his breath back. "i didn't think you'd actually be able to pull me up into the train like that!"  
jiho opens his mouth to respond - to offer that maybe zombies have superhuman strength? - but he can't get anything out and before he has a chance, yukwon is getting to his feet, dusting his suit off and locating his briefcase somewhere under jiho's left arm.  
"you're my savior," the demon sighs, finally able to breathe again. he sticks a hand out, helping pull jiho up and seeming oblivious to the obvious shade of red on the zombie's face. "i have a really important meeting today, and i'd be in big trouble if i missed this train! thank you so much, jiho." jiho nods once, still having difficulty getting his mouth to work.  
"don't tell me you overslept," minhyuk laughs. "it's been a while since the last time."  
"it's not my fault," yukwon pouts before laughing, himself. "i was up too late finishing some work last night!"  
"take a break sometimes," the werewolf says, amused. "every time you've ever gotten into trouble is because you overworked yourself."  
"i know," yukwon sighs again, still smiling. "thanks again, jiho. i don't know what i'd do without you." with that, he bows his head and makes his way up into the first car, leaving jiho standing by the train entrance.  
"well that was mighty heroic," minhyuk says nonchalantly. "i don't know many other attendants who'd have stuck their neck out like that for a passenger, regardless of whether he's a vip or not."  
jiho grunts, only half listening. he's more focused on the tingling sensation in his fingers.  
he'd held yukwon's hand. twice.  
"come on, you lovebird, or you'll be late for your rounds," minhyuk says, a little more loudly, and finally jiho looks up, registering his words and hurrying to follow him.  
he's honestly too happy to even react to the werewolf's teasing.

 

jiho's not sure when the habit develops, but at some point between his rounds, he starts gravitating to yukwon's compartment.   
maybe the warmer weather is muddling his brain. maybe zombies are only fit to function properly in the winter. or maybe jiho's making excuses because he can't just admit that he likes spending the extra time with the demon. especially since the late incident.  
"isn't this your lunch break, though?" yukwon asks, giving the attendant a troubled look. "you should use the time to eat."  
"oh, i don't need food," jiho says perhaps a little proudly, enjoying the look of confusion on yukwon's face. "zombies don't need to eat or sleep. it's part of coming back from the dead, i guess."  
"how interesting!" yukwon smiles eagerly, causing him to blush. "being a zombie sounds highly convenient."  
"i guess," jiho shrugs, forcing a laugh. sure, it'd definitely be convenient if he didn't have the whole pain thing to be worried about, but he'd rather not talk about that right now. "say, what's your job like? i've seen you work on stuff from time to time, but i still don't really know what you do."  
"me?" yukwon seems surprised to have the subject suddenly focus on him. "well, have you heard of seven seasons?" jiho shakes his head apologetically. "it's the company i work for. my job varies, but i mostly write proposals for them and meet with clients, that sort of thing. the reason i usually have lots of trips is because many of our clients live in different parts of the world."  
"i see," jiho nods slowly. "do you like it?"  
"i guess," the demon gives a crooked smile. "the travelling is nice, actually. i've been all over world. and i make a high paycheck, to boot. not to mention my colleagues look up to me, so it's definitely not bad."  
"if you don't mind my asking, how long have you been working there?" even to jiho's ears, this sounds like a futile attempt to get to know yukwon better. thankfully, the demon never seems to notice.  
"let me see," yukwon furrows his brow, thinking. "i started as an intern before monster express was funded, so it certainly has been some time." he pauses, jotting down a few things on the margin of the crossword puzzle he's been working on. "it wasn't that long after taeil took me in, so i guess it's been about nine years."  
the words stand out in jiho's mind. "after taeil took me in..." what does that mean?  
"jiho, are you alright?" jiho starts and realizes he'd been zoning out. yukwon is looking at him with a mix of puzzlement and concern, and he can't help blushing lightly in response.  
"yeah, sorry," he mumbles. "and sorry about all the questions."  
"oh, no, i don't mind!" yukwon laughs, smiling once again. "feel free to ask me anything you want!" jiho musters a nod and a smile of his own before yukwon resumes the crossword puzzle and he excuses himself from the compartment.  
there's something he needs to know. and he thinks he knows just the right person to ask.

 

"yukwon? what about him?" minhyuk says, nibbling at a sandwich as he leans against the counter. jiho fidgets, hesitating as he tries to figure out what to say.  
"you said you've been friends with him for a long time, right?" he begins.  
"yeah," minhyuk nods, setting his food down. "second to taeil, i've known him the longest."  
"ah, that's actually-" jiho hesitates again. how should he go about this? and what if this isn't something he should concern himself with? and would minhyuk even be willing to tell him if he did ask?  
"i don't keep secrets very well," minhyuk says good humoredly, as if sensing his reluctance. "whatever's on your mind, i will most likely provide an answer, however helpful it may or may not be." jiho gives him a grateful look.  
"well, i was just... when i was talking with yukwon the other day, he mentioned... something about taeil taking care of him?" he says in somewhat of a mumble. "i guess i was wondering if you knew anything about it."  
"ah, i do," minhyuk's face lights up briefly before his expression becomes more serious.  
"you do?" jiho asks eagerly.  
"yes, but i'm afraid i don't have all the details," the werewolf frowns apologetically. "it's something yukwon has barely shared with anyone, myself included. i only know what i've pieced together from things he and taeil have said." jiho bites his lip, apprehension gripping him. so it's something yukwon doesn't like to talk about? then maybe he shouldn't be prying about it like this.  
"don't look so scared," minhyuk laughs, the serious mood dissipating. "there's no harm in being curious, and i have no problem telling you what i know."  
"thanks," jiho takes a breath and exhales deeply. "i'd really appreciate it." the werewolf smiles at him.  
"let me first ask, do you know anything about demons?" jiho shakes his head. "well, i assumed you wouldn't, but i didn't want to bore you with an explanation if you already knew."  
"explanation of what?" jiho questions.  
"most monsters aren't born the same way people are," minhyuk says, shifting to make himself more comfortable. "you yourself spawned from your death, therefore you are the age at which you died and you will not henceforth age. ghosts are the same, as well as vampires, albeit their processes are a little different.  
"demons, however, fit on another scale. to put it plainly, they don't have to die to be born into the world." jiho gives him a confused look. "it may sound unbelievable, but they spawn from an overabundance of one emotion."  
jiho's brow furrows as he tries to wrap his mind around the notion. "but they're still born similarly to other monsters," he says slowly.  
"now you're catching on," minhyuk chuckles. "yes, like other monsters, their age is already determined and they do not get older. usually, the most overly abundant emotions are found in humans in their late teens through late twenties, so most demons' appearances are of that age range."  
"so you're saying yukwon was born from an emotion?" jiho inquires perplexedly.  
"precisely," minhyuk replies, withholding another chuckle. "i can't say what emotion for sure, but i do know it wasn't a good one. you see, demons can come from any emotion: happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, you name it. these dictate how the demon will behave when it is born. that being said, whichever emotion they emerge from will be the only emotion they feel."  
"they only feel one emotion??" jiho exclaims, alarmed.  
"in the beginning, yes," the werewolf lets out a barking laugh. "like children, though, they can be taught to feel other emotions."  
that's good. the only feeling one emotion thing would have really put a damper on jiho's and yukwon's relationship (at least on jiho's part).  
"so what does that mean about yukwon?" he asks, still feeling mildly lost.  
"well," minhyuk gives a small smile, "as i mentioned, i believe yukwon spawned from a darker emotion."  
"but he's so friendly!" jiho interjects. he shuts his mouth when minhyuk arches a brow at him.  
"the reason for that is simple," the werewolf says, looking amused. "as far as i can tell, taeil found yukwon almost immediately after he was conceived. he barely had time to feel his initial emotion before taeil was teaching him how to feel everything else. this was so effective that i have every belief yukwon has forgotten how to feel his birth emotion. i think he's so friendly because taeil was exceedingly kind to him."  
jiho stays silent for a moment, letting minhyuk's words sink in. it's an odd concept, to say the least. "so does that mean there are still some emotions he hasn't felt?" he finds himself asking.  
"good question," minhyuk says, smile turning sly and causing a surge of discomfort to run down jiho's spine. "i've witnessed him learning many different emotions, from anxiety to irritation and enthusiasm. but there is one i know for certain he has not had any experience with."  
"oh?" jiho doesn't bother to hide his interest. "and what's that?"  
minhyuk's grin widens significantly. "love," he says simply, returning to his lunch.  
as his face gets warmer and warmer, jiho can't help thinking he dug his own grave that time.

 

toward the end of spring, taeil catches jiho after work one day and drags him into his office. "just wait outside," jiho tells a severely confused kyung before taeil closes the door and crosses the room to his desk.  
"what's this about?" jiho asks a little nervously. the station master looks at him, seeming to ponder something for a moment before gesturing to a chair parallel with his own. jiho slowly takes a seat in it.  
"that's better," taeil smiles, "i prefer having conversations when i don't have to break my neck looking up at you."  
"can ghosts break their necks?" jiho gives him a weird look, but he ignores it.  
"now, you may be wondering why i called you in here," the ghost clasps his hands on the desk, taking a formal stance. "as you well know, summer is approaching fast, and this means monster express will soon be reaching our maximum capacity of passengers. summer is our busiest season, you understand.  
"as things currently stand, the daytime staff is full and will suffice nicely. it is regretful, though - and i dislike admitting such - that our nighttime staff is.. er, lacking, shall we say."  
"so let me get this straight," jiho says, pursing his lips. "you want me to pull night shifts?" taeil's eyes widen.  
"my, you do catch on fast," he says delightedly. "yes, that is exactly it! there aren't many other attendants i can turn to, especially ones of such a special case as yourself, seeing as i seem to recall you saying you do not need to sleep."  
jiho doesn't even bother to wonder where the ghost heard that. "what will that do to my normal schedule?" he asks.  
"ah, yes, i suppose it would be a bit much to request you to work both a day and night shift," taeil frowns, tapping a few fingers on his desk. "should we just temporarily switch your schedule, then? instead of working from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, perhaps you could work 6:00 pm to 4:00 am? this would only be for the summer months, mind you."  
"sure, i guess that's fine," jiho nods, finding no reason to object.  
"wonderful!" taeil heaves a relieved sigh. "i wasn't sure what i'd have done if you'd said no. the change will come into effect at the beginning of june, if that will be suitable, so for now, you will retain your usual schedule."  
"understood," jiho bows his head and makes to get up.  
"oh, one more thing!" taeil adds before the zombie makes it to the door. "i heard... that you've taken a liking to kim yukwon."  
out of pure luck (or maybe he was expecting this was the reason behind taeil desiring to meet with him to begin with), jiho miraculously manages to keep a straight face. "oh?" he says offhandedly.  
"don't 'oh?' me," taeil clicks his tongue, "i'm smarter than i look. i have a source who has reported on multiple occasions that you've expressed favoritism toward yukwonnie. is this true?"  
now it's sheer iron will more than anything that keeps jiho voice level. if there are going to be consequences, he's better off playing dumb for now. "who's the source?"  
"that's confidential," the ghost folds his arms, "but they are extremely reliable, i will have you know. now answer the question."  
"not unless you tell me your source," jiho bargains, suppressing a grin when taeil frowns exaggeratedly at him.  
"oh, for goodness sake, yukwonnie himself has been talking incessantly about you," taeil grumbles, lighting color along jiho's face. "i don't see why my source matters so much to you."  
"w-wait, yukwon talks about me?" the zombie asks stupidly.  
"aha!" taeil points triumphantly at him. "you're blushing! i knew it, you do like him." the statement only serves to make jiho blush brighter.  
as much as it pains him, he decides to throw his dignity aside in favor of curiosity. this, he reasons, is marginally more important than his composure. "what has he said about me??"  
"oh, i don't remember," taeil scrunches up his face. "compliments, i should think. he told me you've been a big help to him ever since you started working here."  
"he really said that?" jiho says, dumbfounded, the question more a general one than specifically directed at the ghost.  
taeil blinks at him a few times. "you're quite obvious, you know," he says after a moment. "if it were anyone beside yukwon, they'd have to be either incredibly dense or just plain stupid not to notice." jiho struggles to defend himself, but taeil goes on before he has a chance. "well, honestly, it doesn't concern me whether you do like him or not. there's nothing in your contract that forbids dating a passenger-" if he weren't so embarrassed, jiho would have been thrilled by this, "-and frankly, it'd probably boost your productivity. you know, give you a reason to come to work, that sort of thing. i do, however, feel the need to intervene a little, seeing as yukwonnie is involved." jiho gulps.  
"don't worry, i'm not going to tell you not to be interested in him or anything," the ghost goes on, looking slightly affronted. "he's like a little brother to me, so i feel it is my responsibility to make sure he's happy. you understand, don't you?  
"that being said, i'm leaving him in your care. i've done all i can for him. thankfully minhyuk told you a bit about his past, so i'll just say this: it's up to you to teach him about..." he glances around suspiciously before leaning forward and whispering, "...love."  
jiho stares at him. "so minhyuk is your source?" the werewolf wasn't kidding when he said he was bad at keeping secrets.  
"minhyuk- of course he is!" taeil says indignantly. "but that's not the point! didn't you hear what i just said?"  
jiho thinks for a moment, running through the words in his head. perhaps belatedly, the ghost's meaning dawns on him.  
"you want me to do what??"

 

when jiho exits the office, he finds kyung and minhyuk chatting just outside, and they quickly say goodbye as the shorter male hurries to catch up with jiho.  
"what did taeil want?" he asks curiously. "you're not in trouble are you?"  
in a matter of speaking, yes. jiho is definitely in trouble. of what? well, for one thing, falling harder for yukwon than ever.  
fuck everything.  
why did taeil have to push this on him all of the sudden?!  
"no, he just wanted to know if i could work night shifts in the summer," jiho sighs, slowing his pace for kyung to walk more comfortably next to him.  
"night shifts?" kyung repeats, frowning. "what for?"  
jiho doesn't feel like explaining, but he does so anyway to keep the male occupied. he knows if he stops talking, kyung will pick up on his mood and notice that something's up, and then he'll have even more explaining to do.  
"aww, i'll miss the morning commute with you," kyung pouts. "but that'll be interesting, right?" he smirks, "i bet you'll start getting goodnights from yukwon now," and jiho resists blushing, doing his best not to groan at the mention of the demon.  
all he can think about is taeil's last words before he left the office.  
"yukwon's a bit different in the evening," he'd said. "he's usually more open. now i'm not saying it's that great of a plan, but this would probably be the best time to get closer to him."  
what that's even supposed to mean, jiho has no idea. what's he supposed to do?? and how the fuck is he going to just up and teach yukwon about love? the idea of it has him queasy.  
for now, he's just going to go home and relax and not think anything about persistent ghosts and friendly demons and emotions beginning with the letter l.

 

"night shifts aren't so bad," jihoon tells jiho as he restocks his cart. "i've done them before. there are less passengers at night, and they tend to be nicer. i think you'll like it."  
"you're the third person to tell me that," jiho grunts in response.  
"really?" jihoon says, surprised, "sorry, i didn't mean to be redundant." jiho shrugs. "so did you tell yukwon hyung already?"  
the taller male frowns. "he was the first one."  
jihoon lets out an "oh" of understanding and pauses his activity. "i'll bet he's looking forward to it, you know. yukwon hyung likes nighttime, i think."  
"yeah, but i don't understand why you're all so worried about me," jiho mutters, fiddling with the handle of his cart. "it's not like i'm nervous about changing shifts."  
"of course you're not nervous!" jihoon laughs, slapping him on the back and causing him to stagger and shoot a look at the vampire. "we're just looking out for you because we care."  
jiho's expression softens and he blushes lightly. "quit it, will you," he mumbles, and jihoon just laughs again and finishes restocking his cart.  
it wasn't a lie; jiho doesn't have any anxieties about the new work hours. sure, he has an altered list of orders to look at (already memorized), but minhyuk will still be working with him so it's not like he'll be alone.  
no, it's something else entirely that has him nervous.  
he thinks it has to do with the fact that yukwon really did get overly excited about the change.  
"i heard you'll be working a night shift soon!" the demon had eagerly said upon jiho's arrival in his compartment. word sure does spread fast here, huh, jiho thinks. "that's great! i ride home around 7:00, so maybe we could have dinner some nights when you're not busy!" now that's an idea that makes jiho's whole face turn red.  
perhaps taeil is right, and this really will be a good chance to get closer to yukwon.  
but no matter which way jiho looks at it, he can't stay calm. he still doesn't know how he's going to explain love to yukwon, or if the demon will even feel it for him.  
as far as he's concerned, yukwon feels completely platonically toward everyone he knows; and frankly, jiho should be the same.  
he can only hope that, somehow, he'll be able to change that.

 

as the remainder of spring pans out and the weather continues to get warmer, jiho prepares for the impending schedule change. kyung continues to lament not working the same hours anymore, but jiho shushes him and tells him he'll be late for work if he doesn't hurry up.  
"i'll leave the door open so you can get in," kyung calls from the bathroom, "but try not to wake me up when you get home."  
"got it," jiho calls back, rolling his eyes. he doesn't think there's anything in the world that could wake park kyung, least of all him returning home in the middle of the night.  
"oh, and you have to tell me all about the night passengers," kyung pokes his head out, expression one of excitement. "jaehyo was telling me about the times he worked a night shift and boy did he have some interesting stories!"  
jiho can't help but chuckle. "yeah, fine. now finish getting ready or you really will be late."  
he spends a majority of the day napping until it's time for him to get ready, and, forcing down his nerves, he makes the trek to the station, meeting up with the shorter male when he arrives. he's chatting with minhyuk - aren't they a little too close..? - and the two greet him as he approaches.  
"good evening," minhyuk says, smiling. jiho notices with piqued interest that the werewolf has one arm around kyung's waist; there's no way the shorter male is getting out of explaining that later.  
"i guess i'd better get going then," kyung says, stepping away from minhyuk with obvious reluctance. "i'll see you tomorrow, minhyuk. oh, and jiho," he taps a finger threateningly on the zombie's arm, "you can't forget to tell me about your first day tomorrow morning."  
"i already said i would, now hurry up and get outta here," jiho says, feigning distaste and shooing kyung away with one hand.  
"alright, alright, i'm going," the shorter male laughs. he hesitates a moment, then abruptly leans over to press a quick kiss to minhyuk's mouth and leave before jiho has a chance to stop him.  
"that sneaky bastard!" the zombie glares after him. "and after all the times i asked him what was going on between the two of you!"  
"you mean he hasn't told you?" minhyuk inquires, clearly amused. "i assumed he would. he talks very fondly of you, you know."  
"whatever," jiho pouts, arms folded. "i don't care what excuses he has, he's going to have to tell me now, whether he wants to or not." minhyuk chuckles as he leads the way to the train.  
on the subject of minhyuk's and kyung's relationship, the only thing the latter has to say is, "ouch!" when jiho punches his arm.

 

everything feels a little different in the evening. it's calmer, and somewhat nostalgic with the sun setting outside.  
jiho rather likes it, especially when yukwon boards.  
his rounds are less frequent, allowing more time to spend in the demon's compartment. a part of him had been dreading this - the inescapable force that draws him to yukwon, and the pressure of what others (namely a nagging ghost) expect him to do - and he finds that yukwon is even more enticing during the evening hours.   
he speaks softer, sits closer, and makes eye contact far too often for jiho to ever truly relax. but he's not complaining. in fact, despite his apprehension, he thinks he really can do this.  
all yukwon needs is a little push, right?

 

"dinner?" jiho asks dumbly, blush coloring his face.  
"yes, dinner, silly. don't you remember me mentioning before?" yukwon grins up at him from his seat. "you just finished your rounds, right? then why don't you join me in the dining car?"  
"wh- i- that is-" jiho stammers, failing at articulation. he does remember, almost too well. but imagining sitting at one of those tables, so small that his long legs would brush against yukwon's with ease, and being that close for who knows how long the demon eats, makes jiho particularly lightheaded.  
"if you don't want to, it's fine," yukwon says disappointedly, averting his gaze to his lap. it's clear he'd taken the zombie's incoherence as a sign of refusal, which is the last thing he should be doing right now, really.  
"n-no, i'd love to," jiho hastily tells him, suppressing the urge to bang his head against the compartment door frame.  
"really??" yukwon lifts his head, eyes shining. "great! then let's go!" he immediately stands up and, before jiho can say anything else, grabs ahold of the zombie's arm, pulling him from the compartment.  
jiho gets the feeling he's going to regret this somehow.  
"you've never eaten in the dining car, have you?" yukwon asks with a knowing grin. jiho musters a nod, letting himself be lead to an empty table. "i thought so. i figured you wouldn't come here. well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there!" that there is, jiho has to agree.  
they're hardly seated for more than a moment before minhyuk whisks in and notices them. "ah, yukwonnie, is it dinner time already?" he approaches their table, smiling amiably and eyeing jiho with a raised brow, "i haven't been keeping track of the hours. you're lucky i came in just now."  
"was it out of habit?" yukwon laughs. "oh, and just the usual for me today."  
"of course," minhyuk nods. "and what about you, jiho? will you be eating anything this evening?" jiho shakes his head, too nervous that whatever verbal answer he could give would not come out right, and minhyuk nods once more. "alright, i'll be right back, then."  
"ah, i've been meaning to ask!" yukwon taps a hand on the table as minhyuk leaves, "you told me once before that you don't have to eat. does that mean you can't eat? or you can, but choose not to?"  
"i can eat," jiho tells him with a light chuckle to mask the difficulty he's having in keeping his voice steady. he already knew they would be close, but he didn't expect yukwon's knees to be pressed against his like this, and the demon to do nothing about it. "sometimes i do, like when i get cravings for certain foods."  
"you still get cravings even though you don't have to eat?" yukwon tilts his head curiously.  
"well, it could be because i haven't been undead for very long," jiho shrugs, shifting in his seat in a failed attempt to separate his and yukwon's legs.  
this is going to be a long night.  
they make smalltalk for a little while, jiho's acute awareness of their proximity preventing him from saying much more than a few words. yukwon doesn't seem to mind, though, and fills jiho's silence with stories from his job. it doesn't take long under these circumstances for jiho to relax a bit, especially when the demon mentions some of the more interesting clients he'd met with (including but not limited to a mermaid with a body odor problem, a vegetarian vampire, and a ghost who'd dedicated a majority of his life after death toward attempting to figure out how to walk through walls).  
"i'm impressed," jiho laughs. he's beginning to get used to this, even likes the way yukwon leans against the table just so to look at him as he talks. "i had no idea there were so many strange monsters in the world."  
"and i haven't even gotten to the best ones," yukwon grins. but then he's pausing and looking down at the table. "you know," he murmurs, "you're the first person who's listened to my stories like this."  
"i- what??" jiho exclaims, eyes widening.  
"ah, i mean," yukwon hurriedly lifts his gaze, "that is, i've never- there's never been anyone else around to listen, so i-" jiho feels warmth begin to pool in his face. "i mean, usually taeil is the only one who ever listens when i..."  
and that's when jiho notices it. the faint color painting the tips of yukwon's ears.  
blush. he's blushing.  
but before he has more of a chance to process it or say anything in response to the demon's confession, a commotion arises at a table on the other side of the dining car.  
"... an employee, i need to speak to someone who works here!" says a shrill voice; it belongs to an elderly woman with beady eyes. she's seated at the table with a scrawny black cat, which glances nervously around the car.  
"be quiet, madam, i don't think any attendants are around. we shouldn't make a scene," it tells her, but she pointedly ignores it.  
"this is an outrage, i tell you! absolutely preposterous! i've never received such rotten service in all my years riding this confounded train!" the cat continues to mumble warnings of staying quiet, but the women refuses to listen.  
"should you-?" yukwon starts to ask, drawing jiho's attention back from the odd pair.  
"yeah," the zombie bites his lip, reluctantly standing up from the table. "i'll be right back."  
where is minhyuk when you need him, jiho wonders fretfully as he slowly approaches the table.  
"e-excuse me," he says, flinching when the woman turns to glare at him.  
"what is it?" she snaps. jiho shoots a nervous look toward yukwon, who gives him an encouraging nod.  
"my name is woo jiho," he bows his head, "i'm an attendant on this train."  
"oh, thank goodness," the black cat mumbles.  
"about time!" the woman says in the same shrill voice. "i've been waiting hours for my food!"  
"it's only been forty-five minutes, madam," the cat interjects, but she ignores it again.  
"when i ordered earlier, i was told it would be done promptly. i don't know if this is some sort of joke, but i simply will not tolerate it!"  
"i-i apologize sincerely," jiho says helplessly. "i'm not in charge of the dining car, so i don't know why you haven't been served yet."  
"don't be ridiculous!" the woman says sharply, causing jiho to flinch again. "then find out! you are capable of that much, i should hope!"  
"i would love to, but i..." jiho falters, unsure of what to tell her. that he doesn't know where to go to find out? that perhaps she should just keep waiting? no matter what he says, she won't be satisfied.  
"you staff are all alike," she declares angrily. "completely useless! i can't believe you even have a job here!"  
"now, madam," jiho grits his teeth, "i'm sure your food will be ready soon. if you'd be so kind as to wait patiently-"  
"no, i will not!" the woman interrupts, banging a fist on the table. out of the corner of his eye, jiho sees yukwon startle and stiffen. "i've had enough!"  
the next few moments are a blur. all jiho hears is, "madam, no!" from the cat and then there's a flurry of movement - perhaps the woman stood up? or did she lunge at him? he's not certain - and the next thing jiho knows, minhyuk is by his side, arms around him to keep him steady.  
"aggression of any kind is not tolerated on monster express," the werewolf says in a tone that commands everyone's fullest attention. "you should know that by now, my dear." the woman gives a disgruntled look between jiho and minhyuk before sitting down again - aha! so she had stood up - and folding her arms.  
"then your staff needs to hurry up with my dinner," she says stiffly.  
"it is being brought now," minhyuk smiles. "we apologize for the delay."  
"no, we're the ones who should be sorry," the cat says. "she's not normally like this."  
"of course," minhyuk smiles again. "good evening, then," and with that, arms still around jiho, he guides the zombie back to his and yukwon's table.  
"god, i was so worried for a moment there," the demon says, letting out a shaky breath. "i thought for sure she was going to throttle you! are you alright??"  
"i'm fine," jiho nods numbly. and he is, for the most part. there's a bit of a ringing in his ears, and his knees feel a little weak, but other than that, he's peachy.  
"i'm sorry, jiho," minhyuk says ruefully. "this is my fault. my mind has been elsewhere this evening, and if i had been more attentive, this wouldn't have happened."  
"no, really, it's fine-" jiho starts to say, but in an instant, yukwon jumps up, alarming him into silence.  
"jiho, your hand!" he exclaims, going pale.  
the zombie is about to ask, "what about it?" when he lifts it to examine it. a fork protrudes from the right side of his left hand, stabbed deeply enough that the prongs have entirely vanished into his flesh. "oh," he mutters, staring.  
well, it's certainly not the worst wound he's gotten.  
"it must have happened just now," minhyuk growls, shooting a look back toward the elderly woman's table. "i'm going to be having a talk with taeil when we arrive back at the station to see that she gets banned from the dining car after this."  
"that's not necessary, i'm sure it was just an accident," jiho says, tugging delicately at the utensil to see which way it will most easily come out. when he has no success, he simply yanks it out with a sickening slice.  
that's going to be a pain in the ass to heal later.  
"accident or not, no violence is permitted on the trains or in the station. period. measures will have to be taken," minhyuk says, a hint of a growl still evident in his voice. "we're lucky you're a zombie, or we'd have a serious injury to deal with."  
it's a strange looking wound, that's for sure. jiho wonders how many people, or even monsters for that matter, can boast about being stabbed with a fork.  
"will you be okay?" yukwon asks nervously, eyes still fixed on jiho's hand.  
"yeah, definitely," the zombie assures him, smiling in hopes of dispelling the serious mood. "sorry about that, i hope i didn't ruin your dinner."  
"of course not," yukwon shakes his head. "i'm.. i'm sorry, too. i feel like it's my fault. i shouldn't have suggested you go over there..."  
"lighten up," jiho nudges him gently before pushing him back into his chair. "come on, you were about to tell me about your best clients."  
"i'll bring your food out now," minhyuk tells them, smiling dryly. "sorry about all this." he exits the car, and jiho sits back down.  
"go on," he encourages when yukwon stays quiet, and the demon jumps a little, "i'm listening."  
"okay," yukwon finally smiles, twisting jiho's stomach into knots.  
for the rest of the evening, jiho can't help thinking he still appears unsettled.

 

"she stabbed you in the hand???" kyung exclaims, nearly dropping his toothbrush. "seriously?? why didn't you wake me up when you got home?? did it hurt to heal??"  
"jeez, one question at a time," jiho gives him an amused look, watching the shorter male from where he leans against the bathroom door frame.  
kyung frowns at him and takes a deep breath. "okay, what happened?" he asks.  
"i already told you. there was a misunderstanding and a passenger hadn't gotten her food yet. it was probably an accident. i'm fine now, really," jiho shrugs, flexing his hand for emphasis. he'd been right, though; the healing process had been a little painful.  
"i can't believe it," kyung grumbles, frown deepening. "if i'd have been there, i wouldn't have let her get away with it. why, if i ever get my hands on her..." he sets his toothbrush down and cracks his knuckles menacingly, jiho stifling laughter.  
"if you're going for threatening, i don't think you'd scare a puppy," the zombie mutters under his breath, and kyung glares briefly at him before resuming brushing his teeth.  
"fine, be that way. see if i defend you next time you're in trouble," the shorter male sniffs after he rinses his mouth, and sticks his nose in the air as he exits the bathroom. jiho just chuckles and follows behind him.  
he appreciates kyung's concern even if he doesn't say anything, and kyung knows it even if he doesn't acknowledge. it's in the way he nudges jiho on his way out, saying, "i'll see you later. take it easy today, okay?" and jiho nods, giving him a grin.  
he wants to be more grateful to his friend, but he can't help letting his mind wander the instant kyung is gone. the second half of the previous evening weighs on jiho's thoughts. he can't shake the worried expression yukwon had worn before jiho had tried to convince him to get off at the station when they'd arrive.  
"are you sure you're fine?" yukwon had asked, worrying the handle of his briefcase.  
"yes! i'm great," jiho had assured him, flexing his hand the same way he'd done with kyung. "this'll heal overnight, no sweat. come on, you're clogging the exit!" the demon had proceeded to appear even more distressed, but had allowed jiho to gingerly guide him out of the train.  
of course, there's no reason to worry at all. no matter how bad the wound, jiho will recover, even if the pain is a little much. no, it's not that. it's the fact that yukwon was so concerned about him, regardless of whether or not he knew jiho would be fine. that's got to mean something, right?  
maybe it's wishful thinking. after all, as far as jiho knows, yukwon is still ignorant of the concept of love. but if it does mean something, it's a step in the right direction, and perhaps gives him more hope than he really deserves right now.  
the only thing that remains is to see how the demon acts when they meet each other later.

 

when jiho arrives at the station for work, he's not surprised to find kyung and minhyuk chatting together once again. it's becoming a routine, really, and it's gotten to be stranger to see them apart than with each other.  
"ah, how's your hand?" minhyuk asks, relinquishing his hold on kyung's waist to take jiho's hand and examine it. "it seems to have healed nicely."  
"yeah, good as new," jiho grins as minhyuk lets go. "that's the nice thing about being undead, to be honest."  
"i knew as much, but i still couldn't help but worry," the werewolf says, grinning back. "especially since it was my fault you got hurt in the first place. i would have felt even worse had something more serious happened."  
"wait, it was your fault?" kyung interrupts, giving him a suspicious look. "what's that supposed to mean?"  
"nah, don't worry about it," jiho shakes his head, ignoring the shorter male. "what's done is done, and i'm already way over it."  
"that's good to hear," minhyuk says, relieved. "we should get to the train. it'll be departure time soon."  
"babe..." kyung pouts as minhyuk steps away from him. "don't ignore me..."  
"i'm not," the werewolf chuckles, leaning in and planting a quick kiss on his lips. "i'll see you tomorrow morning. we can talk more then."  
"fine, fine," kyung grumbles, accepting defeat. "have a good night, i guess."  
"see ya," jiho says, suppressing a smirk, then turns and follows minhyuk through the station.  
they make it just two steps into the train before he stops the zombie, though. "i don't mean to alarm you or anything, but i thought you should know," he says in a soft voice, amusement underlying his tone and preventing his opening statement from worrying jiho that much. "yukwon seemed highly anxious this morning. i think he's still worried about you."  
"w-why should he be?" jiho asks, blushing lightly.  
"well," minhyuk grins knowingly, "you heard me just now. i was worried about you and i know about the capacity of your regenerative abilities, no thanks to taeil. but yukwon has barely had dealings with the living dead; he has no way of comprehending that you are completely fine."  
"but i told him about it before-" jiho starts to protest.  
"and he has yet to see it in action," minhyuk cuts him off. "remember, demons have a lot to learn in this world. unlike you and me, they don't have any prior knowledge about anything. they require hands-on experience in order to fully understand how something works."  
"alright," jiho mumbles, recalling yukwon's uneasy expression from the previous evening again, "i get it."  
"good. just make sure you show him thoroughly that you're fine and that you've healed properly," minhyuk smiles, and jiho nods.  
he doesn't need telling twice.  
he makes sure to finish his rounds quickly when yukwon boards, leaving extra time as he enters the male's compartment. the demon is wholeheartedly relieved to find that jiho's hand has healed, and the zombie can barely fight the blush that threatens him as he allows yukwon to closely examine the place where the wound had been.  
"that's amazing," he says, voice full of awe. "i had no idea it would be so.. i mean, you can't even tell you were hurt!"  
"yeah, pretty interesting, huh," jiho manages a grin and somehow keeps his voice even. his skin tingles where yukwon touches it. "i can understand why you were nervous. i would have been, too, if i hadn't already experimented with my capabilities."  
"experimented..?" yukwon's eyes light up as he releases jiho's hand. "would you... tell me about it...? about you?" jiho swallows hard when the demon makes eye contact. "if you have time, i mean," he adds quickly, "and only if you're comfortable."  
"i do, and i am," jiho says honestly, taking a deep breath. "but what exactly did you want to know?"  
"well, actually, i..." yukwon hesitates, glancing down before gesturing that jiho should sit across from him. leaving his cart at the door, the zombie submits and seats himself. "... i've been wondering. about, well, everything. about how you came to be what you are... and now about these experiments of yours." he smiles a bit sheepishly, and the tips of his ears have slowly begun to turn red.  
there it is again. that little grain of hope.  
yukwon is interested him. yukwon had wondered about him.  
that has to mean something.  
"alright, i guess i'll start from the beginning," jiho says, unable to curb a grin.  
they talk throughout the evening, breaking shortly when jiho has to do his rounds. yukwon listens attentively, seeming much absorbed into jiho's story.  
the zombie explains the details of the crash, the odd precursor to death, and the means by which he'd escaped; such details that he hadn't even fully shared with kyung. it's strangely soothing to tell yukwon about the chain of events, from watching the funeral-like procession of people walk away from the crash site, to finding taeil's ad for monster express in the newspaper from kyung's old job, and yukwon seems to very pleased by the mention of the train.  
"it's pretty lucky the two of you found that ad," he says, gazing at jiho fondly - at least, jiho think it's fondly. "things would have been pretty boring here without you."  
"i'm sure you would have managed somehow," jiho mutters, blushing and looking down at his lap to avoid yukwon's eyes.  
"but what about the experiments you were talking about?" the demon asks curiously.  
"i'm getting there," jiho assures him, chuckling lightly.  
he backtracks a little, then, to describe how he came to understand what it means to be part of the living dead; learning that he didn't need food or sleep, couldn't feel heat or cold, and that he couldn't ever permanently get injured.  
"you really jumped off a building??" yukwon asks, alarmed, but still slightly amused.  
"like i said, i was testing myself," jiho says hastily. "i knew i'd be fine, i just wanted to see how far i could go and still come back."  
"it must have been very painful to recover from that," yukwon murmurs. "i can't even imagine."  
"yeah, it definitely hurt, alright." jiho exhales shortly, not daring to recall the event. "and kyung was so pissed at me, he refused to talk to me for almost a week. that was probably the last time i purposefully injured myself."  
"you know, i'm..." the demon's voice falters and he embarrassedly looks away as jiho glances over at him. "i'm glad. that you survived, i mean. i'm glad you're here. i feel like things would be a lot different if you hadn't... you know," he trails off, looking anywhere but at jiho.  
it's cute really. jiho quite likes this new side of yukwon. seeing him get so adorably self conscious is doing a number on jiho's thought process, though.  
"hey, what counts is that i'm here now, right?" he says after a moment of concentration. "there's no use getting worked up about how things could have been."  
"you're right, you're right," yukwon nods, giving a small smile. "i guess i always- well, not always, maybe it developed because of taeil- wh-what i mean to say is, sometimes i get caught up on the what-ifs. i feel like i've been doing it more lately, but i'm not sure why. i just keep thinking about what would have happened if taeil hadn't found me and i hadn't had the chance to meet you-" he stops abruptly, cupping a hand to his mouth. "i-i mean," he bites his lip, looking more flustered than ever, "god, i'm talking too much, i'm sorry."  
jiho tries to contain himself. he feels ecstatic. this is the chance for all jiho's questions to be answered - if yukwon is willing, that is.  
"don't be silly," he says tenderly, "i like hearing you talk." he's beginning to really like that shade of red that colors the tips of yukwon's ears when he blushes.  
"r-really?" the demon asks pathetically.  
"of course," jiho laughs. "come on, i just talked for way too long. i think it's your turn now."  
but before yukwon can respond, there's a knock at the compartment door, and minhyuk is sticking his head inside. "sorry to interrupt, but you're running behind on your next round, jiho," he says with a grin. "might wanna hurry up a bit."  
"shit, i forgot!" jiho jumps up as minhyuk ducks out. "i'm really sorry, yukwon. i'll be right back!"  
"i-it's fine," yukwon shakes his head, watching as jiho grabs his cart. "take your time."  
"promise you'll do the talking when i get back, though, okay?" jiho gives him an encouraging smile and waits until yukwon nods before opening the compartment door. "great. i'll be back in just a bit!"

 

this is probably the fastest he's made his way around the car. he almost feels a little guilty for haphazardly preparing whatever the passengers order. almost.  
"we've got about an hour until the train reaches the station," he says as he re-enters yukwon's compartment, "and my next rounds aren't until after that." he gauges the demon's mood before leaving his cart by the door and seating himself again. "sorry about that."  
"no, it's fine," yukwon smiles, seeming relatively calmer than when jiho had left him. "i'm sorry for distracting you with all my questions."  
jiho shakes his head. "honestly, i'm just glad you were interested. i thought for sure some of that would bore you." he hesitates before speaking again. "that is, if you're willing to, i have.. a few questions of my own."  
yukwon appears to have been preparing himself for this, and he nods now, gaze soft. "what is it you want to know?" he asks.  
jiho takes a deep breath. this is it.   
"about your past," he replies. "i hope you're not mad, but minhyuk told me a little already." yukwon's expression morphs to one of surprise. "it was a while back, even before the spring, and ever since then, i've been... curious." jiho flushes faintly. "please don't be mad at him. i was the one who asked him to tell me."  
"i'm not mad," yukwon lets out a light laugh. "you could have come to me, though." the zombie's blush brightens.  
"i didn't want to offend you or anything!" he defends, shrinking as yukwon laughs again. "minhyuk mentioned there were things you hadn't even told him, so i... i mean, you've known him for a lot longer than me, so i thought there was no way you'd tell me."  
"and what did minhyuk tell you?" yukwon asks, entertained by jiho's justification.  
"well, he had to explain about demons first since i didn't really..." the zombie trails off, blushing again before continuing, "h-he said you were born from a dark emotion, and that taeil took care of you."  
"ah, yes," yukwon nods, "he would know about what happened with taeil. i'm surprised he figured out that much about my birth emotion, though."  
"he's more astute than anyone gives him credit for," jiho mutters dryly, and the demon laughs.  
"alright, i think i know what to tell you, then," he says, nodding once more. jiho finds himself leaning forward, already listening intently. "using your words from earlier, i believe i will start at the beginning.  
"my beginning... my beginning was darkness. unlike you, who was a human before being reborn, i was no one before i spawned. it's strange, coming from nothing. you expect to have memories of something, anything, but all you know is the feeling that gives birth to you.  
"that being said, my birth emotion was hatred." jiho's eyes widen.  
"so minhyuk was right?" he asks cautiously. "but how-?" the question goes unfinished when yukwon raises a brow at him.  
"i can't remember much from before taeil found me, or even of the first few months i spent with him," the demon continues. "according to him, i was a bit like an empty shell. he told me he thinks it's because i was premature when i spawned, so there was no time for me to experience hatred before he found me."  
"but then how did he know hatred was the emotion-?" again, jiho's question is cut off.  
"even i'm not sure of that much," yukwon answers, again giving him a look. "he wouldn't tell me. i think it's because he didn't want to risk making me understand how to feel it. but his worries were unnecessary, considering i never did learn how to feel my birth emotion.  
"i suppose minhyuk told you taeil found me very soon after i was conceived?" he pauses, letting jiho nod. "without him, i get the feeling i wouldn't have survived. empty as i was, it took a while for me to begin to function normally. without his care, i wouldn't have been able to experience any emotions, and would most likely have dissolved back into the darkness that created me." jiho feels a sudden wave of extreme gratitude toward taeil, despite the ghost's nagging.  
"so then what was the first emotion you actually felt?" he asks interestedly.  
"that would be affection," yukwon replies smilingly. "i picked up on the feelings taeil constantly expressed while he took care of me. more than anything else, my first feelings were of kindness and appreciation. my earliest memories are of the thankfulness i felt toward him for caring for me when he had no obligation to do so." again, a surge of gratitude toward taeil. it seems like we both owe him our thanks, huh, jiho thinks.  
"so how long was it before you were able to, you know, get a job?" he inquires.  
"it was quite some time, i'll give you that," yukwon suppresses a sheepish grin. "taeil had some contacts at seven seasons, and got me working there as an intern. when i first started there, i was pretty useless. but i was a fast learner, and my bosses picked up on that. it wasn't long before they gave me better positions and promotions. in fact, the current position i hold is one of the top places in the whole company. i work on and oversee a majority of our company's proposals, and am responsible for meeting with most, if not all, of our clients."  
"i can see why they'd want you to do that," jiho says, withholding a look of amusement when yukwon gives him a curious look. "you're the most agreeable person on the planet! you're friendly, you don't get angry, and you're incredibly easy to work with. it's no wonder your company promoted you this much." his words progressively bring color to the tips of yukwon's ears.  
yeah, he's definitely beginning to grow fond of that blush.  
"a-anyway," yukwon coughs. "i worked at seven seasons for a while before taeil came up with the idea for monster express. i helped him with it, and together, we wrote up an almost perfect proposal. perhaps because of taeil's connection, alongside my position, the company couldn't refuse, and we ended up funding more than 3/4 of the building for all the stations and trains."  
"that's amazing," jiho says, awed. "and a really proactive solution. for someone like me who had no connection to the monster world, monster express proved to be the perfect thing for helping me learn more about not only myself, but other monsters. if not for my job here, i'd probably still be wasting away in kyung's apartment."  
"that would be pretty pathetic," yukwon laughs, smile breaking across his face. "if that were the case, i wouldn't have had the chance to meet you."  
"i already told you to stop speculating about the what-ifs," jiho starts to say, but the demon silences him with another dazzling smile.  
"i know," he says. "i'm just glad is all. that things turned out out the way they did. that i did get the chance to meet you." jiho feels his whole face turn red.  
fuck, why can't he just blush prettily like yukwon??  
"m-me, too," he mumbles, voice drowned out by the announcement of the train pulling into the main station.   
with great reluctance, jiho grabs his cart and follows yukwon out, even disembarking himself just to say a proper goodnight.  
"well? any last questions before i leave?" yukwon asks, eyes bright. "last chance."  
any idea what love is yet? jiho wants to respond.  
"no," he says instead, forcing a grin. "goodnight, yukwon."  
"goodnight," yukwon reciprocates.

 

the rest of the summer passes by in somewhat of a blur. before jiho knows it, his night shifts are up, and he's back to getting ready for work in the morning with kyung (much to the shorter male's delight).  
"thanks again for all your hard work," taeil had told him gratefully. "your schedule will return to normal now. i hope i can count on you in the future when the staff runs low again."  
jiho had simply replied with, "yes sir," but he'd beginning to wish he'd worked up the courage to ask taeil about yukwon's past. perhaps he wouldn't be willing to talk about it; but jiho can't help being curious. taeil is the only one who truly knows. but jiho is a coward.  
jihoon expresses particular enthusiasm at jiho's return, but despite his protests of "it's because i missed you," jiho thinks he's simply glad he can go back to working just the first car again.  
it's a bit off at first, saying good morning instead of good evening, but jiho gets used to it quickly. and yukwon's "good morning"s sound more heartfelt this time around.  
it's a chilly morning when yukwon brings up the invitation, sometime in the middle of autumn. he drops it casually, catching jiho completely off guard.  
"a work party?" he says uncertainly.  
"yes, exactly that," yukwon smiles. "it's to celebrate the successful summer we had. we usually have at least one party a year."  
"but if it's a celebratory party, then why should i-?" jiho starts.  
"because i'm inviting you, of course," the demon chuckles. "you're not planning on turning me down are you? i'm sick of bringing taeil each year."  
"but i've never been to a work party," jiho mumbles, busying himself with yukwon's morning coffee. "why would you want me to-?"  
"just. please say you'll come, alright?" yukwon cuts him off, staring at him intently. "please?"  
jiho looks back at him for a moment, thinking, before nodding once and holding the cup out to him. "fine. when and where is it?"  
"this friday at 7:00 pm on the first floor of the seven seasons building," yukwon says, happily sipping the drink. "you get off work at 6:00, right?" jiho nods again. "then i'll just meet you here. that way i can take you directly to the building."  
"that's fine with me," the zombie says, leaning against the door frame. "but what do you do at a work party, anyway?"  
"drink?" yukwon offers cheekily, grinning as jiho laughs. "i don't know, there'll be music, so there'll probably be dancing. we're a more conservative company, though, so there's a good chance we'll just stand around and talk or something." as an afterthought, he adds, "there's gonna be free food, too, but i don't know how much that will interest you since you don't have to eat."  
"free food is free food, regardless of whether or not i have to eat," jiho says, pretending to be affronted and earning a chuckle from the demon. "oh, by the way, how should i dress?"  
"if you have any suits, that would be good," yukwon tells him. "if not, just go for something business casual."  
"i'll see what i can do," jiho nods once more.  
"you could also get away with wearing that uniform," the demon gestures toward his current attire. "my coworkers would love that. they adore monster express. half of them are regular humans, so they really like opportunities to interact with monsters."  
jiho arches a brow. "you sure you're not just saying that because you like seeing me in uniform?" he questions.  
"can't say," yukwon hums, sipping his coffee again. jiho does his best not to blush and excuses himself on the pretense of finishing his rounds - a pathetic excuse, considering yukwon's is always the last compartment he visits.

 

jiho finds minhyuk during their lunch break, and he seems to know what jiho wants before he even says anything.  
"this is about yukwon's work party, isn't it," he says, amusement plain on his face.  
"i-" jiho starts, staring at him for a moment before recovering enough to say, "wh- yes, how'd you know??"  
"i figured he'd have invited you," minhyuk chuckles. "tell me, am i the only one you come to for advice?"  
"th-that's not..." jiho trails off, blushing faintly. "it's just, i need a favor this time."  
"oh?" the werewolf's interest piques, and he gives jiho a curious look as he unwraps his lunch. "what kind of favor?"  
"well, it has to do with kyung," jiho replies, glancing around as if the male will appear out of thin air at the mere mention of his name.  
"what about him?" minhyuk prompts.  
"when he hears that i'm going to this thing, he's gonna want to come, too. i mean, it's not that i don't want him to come i just-" after minhyuk raises a brow, he continues, flustered, "a-anyway, you guys are practically joined at the hip whenever i see you together. is there any way you could keep him busy on friday so me and yukwon can go alone?"  
"you mean you want me to give him a reason not to go," minhyuk clarifies, seeming more amused than ever.  
"o-only if you willing to," jiho says hurriedly, averting his gaze. "if not, i'll just try to convince him myself."  
"hold on, i didn't refuse," the werewolf laughs. "i'll see what i can do. wait to tell him about the work party until i've talked to him, okay?"  
jiho lets out a relieved sigh. "thanks. you're a life saver."  
"it's no trouble, really," minhyuk grins. "is there anything else i can do for you?" he begins eating, eyeing jiho over his sandwich.  
"actually, yes," the zombie says after a moment of thought. "have you been to one of these work parties before?" a nod. "what are they like?"  
minhyuk finishes chewing before answering. "well, i don't know what yukwon has told you, but the employees of seven seasons are... an interesting assortment of people. they seem innocent enough on a day to day basis, but get them in a room with liquor and bad dance music and you're definitely in for a strange evening." jiho gulps. "they're nice people, don't worry," the werewolf laughs, "just be prepared to get shitfaced. they do a lot of drinking."  
"good to know," jiho mutters wryly. conservative company, yukwon had said. we'll probably stand around and talk. huh.  
"oh and you should know-" minhyuk cuts himself off, seeming to think better of his statement at the last moment. jiho stares pointedly at him until he sighs and finishes, "yukwon, he... can be a little different when you give him alcohol. he gets really... affectionate. he might cling. if you know what's good for you - and him - you'll keep him by your side. that is, unless you're fine with him attaching himself to someone else." he smirks as jiho blushes, then resumes eating. "just warning you."  
jiho fumbles for an answer, mouth opening and closing until minhyuk points out the time and he's forced to scramble not to miss his next rounds.  
minhyuk really is more astute than anyone gives him credit for.

 

"have you figured out what you're wearing yet?" kyung asks, gaze focused on the tv screen. he'd put on some foreign movie with korean subtitles when they'd gotten back to the apartment after work, but as far as jiho can tell neither of them has actually been watching. "minhyuk said you're going to some party thing tomorrow."  
"i am, and no i haven't," he says, glancing over at kyung in what he hopes is a casual manner. so minhyuk talked to him already?  
"feel free to borrow anything of mine, though i doubt it would fit," the shorter male shrugs, sniffing pretentiously. "i'd offer to go with you, but i've already got plans. i only hope you'll be able to have fun without me."  
jiho will have to remind himself to thank minhyuk profusely tomorrow.  
"i'll do my best," he suppresses a pleased grin, shifting to have a better view of the tv. "same goes to you."  
"oh, i will," kyung says a little too seriously. jiho is only left to wonder in what way the werewolf could have bribed him.

 

jiho finally decides simply to go in his uniform. it's not a bad look overall, and if he takes off the jacket and rolls up his sleeves, he should be just fine. yukwon seems quite taken with the idea when he brings it up friday morning.  
"oh, yes," he nods enthusiastically, "i think uniform is definitely the best way to go." jiho fights blush. "so remember what i said before; i'll meet you here at the station when you get out of work, okay?"  
"got it," the zombie nods briefly.  
as the day progresses, he grows more and more nervous. come to think of it, he still has no idea what to expect from yukwon's coworkers. from what minhyuk had told him, frankly, he's anxious. but at least he'll have yukwon there to hopefully help him out if he needs it.  
he can't even remember the last time he got drunk. well, excluding the few times he had a little bit of beer before he'd gotten the monster express job, but he'd only been a little tipsy. the last time he actually got drunk was before the crash, maybe at one of kyung's friends' parties, he can barely recall. the only thing he does remember is the awful hangover the next day, which is probably the reason he's steered clear of alcohol since then.  
on the other hand, drunk, clingy yukwon is something he definitely wants to see.  
and he probably shouldn't be thinking about this while he's still at work.  
when 6:00 rolls around and jiho disembarks, he finds yukwon waiting just outside the train. jaehyo is with him, looking uninterested and bored.  
"ah, you're here!" yukwon says eagerly. "perfect timing, we should get going soon."  
"what's he doing here?" jiho asks, gesturing with his head as he cautiously follows the demon through the station.  
"designated driver," jaehyo answers dully before yukwon has a chance, and the demon gives jiho a sheepish grin.  
"it's quicker to drive to seven seasons than take the train, and jaehyo is one of the few monsters i know with a drivers license," he explains.  
"just don't get too drunk," the incubus warns. "i don't want anyone throwing up in my car. she's brand new, i'll have you know."  
"roger that," jiho nods apprehensively.  
perhaps out of excitement - or maybe he's already had a little bit of alcohol, jiho can't tell - yukwon chatters through the ride to the party. jiho doesn't mind at all, but jaehyo begins to look annoyed by the time they arrive.  
"drink responsibly," he says, shooing them out of the car. "i'll be out here whenever you're ready to leave."  
"you're not coming in?" jiho asks, surprised.  
"no way," jaehyo gives him a slightly affronted look. "it's hell in there. i don't know who decided these parties were a good idea."  
"you're only saying that because last time i invited you, the bartender refused to serve you because she was worried you'd get drunk and sleep with everyone in the office," yukwon says offhandedly, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as blush sparks across jaehyo's face.  
"no i'm not!" he exclaims heatedly. "and neither of you has any idea how deep-rooted the prejudice against my race is! being an incubus is entirely too difficult!"  
"i know, i know, i'm sorry," yukwon chuckles, seemingly unphased by the outburst. "who knows, maybe you'll be treated better this time."  
"i'm not taking any chances," jaehyo folds his arms and settles further into the seat of his car. "i'm staying right here. you two just. go have fun or something. i don't care." jiho pities him a little. makes him worry if he'll have to deal with any preconceptions about the living dead.  
"we won't stay for too long," yukwon promises. "you can drive around if you want, there's a coffee shop down the street." jaehyo hmphs but starts the car up again, and yukwon laughs, beckoning jiho toward the seven seasons building as the incubus pulls away.  
the building is sleek and tall; at least 30 floors. the exterior is black and reflective, while the interior is decorated simply and with modern accents. it's a refreshing change to the old-fashioned atmosphere of the train station, that's for sure.  
"welcome to seven seasons," yukwon smiles, leading jiho further inside. "follow me."

 

"so you're woo jiho," a short male says interestedly. "a zombie, right?" jiho nods numbly. "i've met all kinds of monsters, but you're the first zombie. listen could you tell me-"  
"slow down, byunghun, you're alarming him," laughs the male beside him. "haven't even done introductions and you're already jumping right into research." he puts a hand on jiho's shoulder, grinning amiably at him. "i'm junhyung. glad you could make it." jiho likes this one. he seems more sensible than-  
"but i'm so curious!" byunghun stamps a foot impatiently. "who else will ever have the chance to interview a real live zombie??"  
"can it," junhyung says, giving the short male a light push. "this is a party, remember? now go make yourself useful and get us some drinks." yeah, jiho likes him.  
"fine," byunghun pouts. "but don't say anything interesting when i'm gone!" he ducks away and makes his way through the growing crowd of people.  
"sorry about that," junhyung gives jiho an apologetic smile. "he's always like that. has his mind on work, even at a time like this."  
"it's fine," jiho shakes his head, "i don't mind."  
"really?" junhyung raises an eyebrow. "that makes one of us." jiho can't help but laugh a little at that. "so where's yukwon? he was so excited about inviting you, i thought he'd be showing you off by now." the zombie blushes lightly.  
"he said he wanted to say hi to some people and that i should wait here," he responds, looking around in hopes of spotting the familiar head of silver hair. "i don't really know where he went."  
"that's too bad. i'm sure he'll be back soon," junhyung says sympathetically. "being alone, especially in situations like this, can be a real drag."  
"tell me about it," chimes in a nasal voice. "if i had to party alone, i'd rather jump off the roof."  
"you sure about that, chanhee?" junhyung turns to give the newcomer, a scrawny male with dyed blonde hair, a haphazard amused look. "something tells me that would be, you know, at least a little worse."  
"you obviously haven't tried dancing by yourself in a party where nobody knows who you are," chanhee sniffs. he freezes when he catches sight of jiho. "oh god, you're the zombie, aren't you??"  
"yes," jiho bows his head, noticing with unease that the other male has taken a step away from him. "woo jiho, at your service."  
"and you're like, civilized, right?" chanhee goes on, seeming to ignore jiho's greeting. "like, you won't eat my brain, right?" jiho's eyes widen in astonishment at the blatant question.  
"chanhee, that was uncalled for!" junhyung jumps in, but the other male's attention is grabbed by someone else and he leaves without an answer. "sorry," junhyung says guiltily. "he's one of the new interns, so he lacks experience with monsters. he meant no harm."  
"of course," jiho murmurs, staring disconcertedly in the direction chanhee had gone.  
"jiho!" the zombie starts and turns around just in time for yukwon to catch him in a one-armed hug. warmth instantly pools to his face. "come on, there are a bunch of people i want you to meet!"  
jiho shoots a look at junhyung, who laughs and says, "go, i'll explain to byunghun when he comes back." jiho nods gratefully before letting yukwon tow him away.  
thankfully, none of yukwon's other colleagues are anywhere near as ignorant or blunt as chanhee.

 

at some point, loud music starts playing, and all jiho can think about is what minhyuk said before. his mind is a little jumbled at the moment so he can't remember word for word, but he thinks it was something along the lines of bad music and liquor.   
he also thinks it probably wasn't a good idea to let yukwon's coworkers convince him to drink that much soju already.  
"come on," yukwon's voice sounds next to his ear, breathy and sending shivers down his spine. "can you dance?"

 

that's another thing jiho thinks about. a lot. maybe too much.  
god, yukwon is a good dancer.  
more soju, pathetic attempts at conversation over unbearably loud music, and jiho already wants to follow yukwon back onto the makeshift dance floor.  
maybe it was a good idea to drink right away. he thinks he's getting pretty comfortable here.

 

"we've heard so much about you," says one male - minsoo, if jiho understood properly.  
"what are you saying?" yukwon chirps. he has a hand around jiho's waist, keeping him close, and the zombie is infinitely grateful for the dim lighting and the alcohol in his system. "that i talk about jiho too much?"  
at least he has something to blame the impending blush on.

 

"so you're friends with ahn jaehyo?" the bartender asks, a pretty girl with long wavy hair.  
"yeah, sorta?" jiho doesn't know why he phrases it as a question.  
"then can you apologize to him for me?" she wrings her apron, glancing around. "i think i was frightfully rude to him last time he came."  
yukwon snorts. "i told jaehyo he should have come. i told him he'd get better treatment," he giggles, words slurring as he presses himself against jiho.  
the proximity makes jiho's head spin.

 

one shot too many and jiho thinks he's probably drank too much. he's becoming hyper aware of the feeling of yukwon's arms around him.  
has it always been this hot in here?

 

he's only vaguely aware of being supported on their way out of the building, jaehyo gruffly saying, "i told you guys not to drink too much, and what do you do? drink too much."  
"sorry," he laughs, trying to stand on his own. "couldn't exactly refuse."  
when they're back in jaehyo's car, yukwon rests his head on jiho's shoulder. "thanks for coming with me," the demon says softly. a grunt is all jiho can manage in response, perhaps a little too red-cheeked now to use alcohol as an excuse.  
yukwon's face is close. a little too close. and jiho's still not thinking straight.  
maybe he really did drink too much.

 

jiho wakes up to a pounding headache the next morning. apparently, the living dead can still get massive hangovers. groaning, he slowly sits up and looks around.  
somehow he'd made it back to kyung's apartment. if he thinks hard enough, he can remember jaehyo dropping him off there and dumping him on the couch, managing to find the place even with jiho's confusing directions (he's already bad enough with directions, and being drunk probably didn't help at all).  
had yukwon made it back safely, as well? the demon's name triggers something of a memory, but jiho can't quite figure it out. he feels like he's forgetting something...  
"oh, you're awake," kyung's voice comes from the kitchen, and from the second groan jiho emits, the shorter male can tell he's spoken too loudly. "sorry, i was waiting for you to wake up. need some painkillers?"  
"definitely," jiho says, clutching his head. "god... what time did i get back?"  
"a little after midnight i think?" kyung guesses, handing jiho a glass of water and a few pills. "i feel bad for jaehyo. poor guy looked ready to collapse, trying to drag you in here." jiho makes mental note to apologize to jaehyo when he gets the chance. "you don't... remember anything from last night, do you?"  
"huh?" jiho utters, giving him a weird look before downing the painkillers. "no? i think i passed out." kyung looks relieved, taking a seat next to him on the couch. "why?"  
"no reason," the shorter male says nonchalantly, shrugging. "i just had minhyuk over, that's all."  
jiho chokes as he's taking another sip of water. "wh-what??" he sputters, eyes widening briefly before he has to clutch his head again as it throbs in protest.  
so that's how minhyuk got kyung to stay behind, huh.  
"it's not what you're thinking," kyung mutters hastily, for once seeming embarrassed. "we just hung out! nothing weird."  
"save it. i don't even care," jiho says, slouching and resting his head against the back of the couch. "i'm gonna take a nap to try and get rid of this goddamn hangover. do me a favor and be quiet, okay?" kyung opens his mouth as if wanting to defend himself further, but jiho just closes his eyes. after a moment, he feels kyung get up.  
"all we did was kiss," the male grumbles, shuffling away into the bedroom.  
almost immediately, jiho's eyes shoot open.  
that's it.  
that's what he forgot.  
oh god, he must have been really drunk.  
fuck. did jaehyo see it??  
more importantly, does yukwon remember????  
fuck fuck fuck this has the potential to be really bad.  
but if yukwon has figured out love then maybe-?  
groaning once again, jiho resists the urge to find the nearest sharp object and stab himself.  
how could he have been so stupid??  
even if yukwon knew what love is, there's still no way to tell if he feels that way toward jiho, and for all he knows, this could mean yukwon turning him down.  
or maybe he's overthinking things, because he can be really prone to it when there's no one there to calm him down-  
"everything okay?" kyung pokes his head out of the bedroom. "you don't need more painkillers, do you?"  
"no," jiho gripes, grabbing the pillow beside him and smothering his face with it. "i'm fine."  
i just fucked up is all, he thinks sullenly.  
how is he supposed to get around this?  
maybe he'll be lucky and yukwon won't remember it.  
... but it sure did feel good, sloppily pressing his lips to yukwon's warm mouth, shifting so their bodies lined up perfectly...  
yeah, okay, jiho is really fucked.

 

it takes more effort than jiho is capable of exerting to drag himself to work on monday morning.  
"you can't still be hungover, so get your ass up," kyung had scolded, having no sympathy.  
jiho hadn't told him, of course. he's still not even certain of what will happen, and he'd rather figure this out before relaying anything to the other male. who knows how kyung would tease him if he did know, and jiho would like to postpone that for as long as he possibly can.  
"you're looking antsy this morning," minhyuk comments, cocking a brow as he watches jiho pace just inside the train. the doors open in a few minutes, and he's not ready at all. "how was the party? i'm amazed you made it back in one piece. you were quite drunk, unless i was mistaken." jiho halts and stares at him, blush creeping along his face. shit. he forgot minhyuk was there when he got back.  
"wait, jiho, you went to one of yukwon's work parties??" jihoon cuts in eagerly, pouting. "i'm so jealous! i always wanted to get invited..." the vampire sulks a little by the doors, waiting to open them as jiho resumes pacing.  
what's he even going to say to yukwon?? and is there any way to breach the subject without seeming too desperate?  
"everything alright?" minhyuk questions suspiciously, taking a step closer to the zombie. leave it to him to notice when something's wrong. "did anything happen at the party?" jiho involuntarily flinches, eyes widening when jihoon does open the doors.  
"it's..." jiho bites his lip, shrinking back when passengers begin to board. "it's nothing." he feels minhyuk's gaze on him as he looks away, but if he can't talk to kyung about this yet, there's no way he'll be able to tell minhyuk.  
especially not when he catches sight of that head of fluffy silver hair.  
"good morning!" yukwon says brightly, smiling directly at jiho, who shrinks back even further.  
"m-morning," he says weakly, but the demon doesn't seem to notice.  
"good weekend?" minhyuk asks, returning yukwon's smile in jiho's place.  
"yeah!" the demon nods enthusiastically. jiho feels his stomach plummet. "it's too bad you missed the party this time, it was a lot of fun!"  
"too bad, indeed," minhyuk repeats, shooting a look at jiho.  
"ah, i know! next time i'll invite you, jihoon and jiho! that way we can all go together," yukwon beams, proud of his idea.  
"yes, please," jihoon inputs, still pouting as he stocks up his cart.  
"that's settled then," the demon hums cheerily. "well, i've got a little work to do this morning, so i'll be on my way. i've got a trip planned for tomorrow." he pauses, making eye contact with jiho and smiling again. "see you soon," he says before making his way to the third car.  
jiho wants to walk off the train and go right back to kyung's apartment to faceplant on the couch.  
this certainly isn't going how he expected it to.  
it takes a little more convincing (and assurance that he will talk about it at some point) for minhyuk to drop the subject, and jiho finds himself subconsciously going through his rounds more slowly than usual. by the time he reaches yukwon's compartment, he's somehow managed to make himself more than twice as nervous as before; he's vaguely reminded of the same anxiety he felt when they first met.  
things sure have changed since then, haven't they?  
when he enters, yukwon is working on filling out some sort of paperwork, and he doesn't even notice jiho's presence until after jiho has prepared his coffee and the zombie clears his throat to get his attention.  
"ah, sorry," yukwon says, flustered, as he takes the drink from jiho. "it's for this new client i have to see. it's a high class case, so i have to take extra care."  
"you said you have a trip?" jiho asks a little stiffly. again, yukwon seems oblivious to his mood.  
"yes, i'm leaving tomorrow morning," he replies, setting down his pen and taking a sip of his coffee. "i'll only be gone for two days, though, so hopefully you won't miss me too much," he teases, striking blush along jiho's cheeks.  
"that's..." the zombie mutters, words failing him.  
how can he act so... normal? does he really not remember anything from after the party?  
"oh yeah, how are you feeling?" yukwon inquires suddenly, catching jiho off guard.  
"huh?" he says stupidly, more blush threatening him.  
"we drank a lot. i don't get hangovers, but i thought you must have gotten a bad one," the demon says, grin tugging at his lips - jiho stares for a little too long before remembering belatedly to answer.  
"y-yeah, i did have a bad hangover," he mumbles, looking down.  
should he risk it? is it worth trying to see if yukwon remembers?  
"kyung had to take care of me through most of saturday," he goes on, hoping to sound casual. "to be honest, most of the party is a blur. i seriously drank too much."  
"really?" yukwon says, seeming surprised. "i remember the whole night." the color drains from jiho's face.  
"y-you do?" he asks incredulously. is yukwon serious?? "th-then... after the party... on the way back, do you..." his voice falters, color returning more vividly as he once again recalls the feeling of kissing yukwon. "do you remember..."  
"remember what?" yukwon curiously tilts his head, fixing jiho with an innocent look.  
jiho's head spins.  
does he remember it or not?? and why is this so difficult? jiho should be able to simply mention after the party for yukwon to know what he's talking about.  
how many possible reasons could stand behind why yukwon isn't giving him a direct answer?  
yukwon picks up his pen again, tapping the back of it against the paper in front of him. "are you talking about-" jiho's nearly knocks his cart over in anticipation, "-when you passed out right before we got to kyung's place?" now he narrowly resists the urge to bang his head against the door frame behind him. "because i can pretend i don't remember that, if you're embarrassed."  
either yukwon is just dense or he's purposefully avoiding talking about the kiss. and jiho's beginning to think this is a sign he should give up.  
"sure, yeah," he mutters, sighing and forcing a grin, "that's it." yukwon's brow furrows. "you know what, i need some air. i think i'm gonna walk around the train a little." he bows his head slightly, the way he does with the other vip passengers, then tugs his cart out of the compartment.  
"but you'll come back later, right?" the demon queries uncertainly just before he exits.  
"yeah, i still have one more round before we get to your stop," jiho reminds him, but he still appears unsettled. maybe he's finally catching on. "see you later."  
as he closes the compartment door behind him, jiho finds himself thinking it's about time for a vacation.

 

taeil sounds genuinely confused when jiho approaches him after work.  
"you want to take a break?" he asks, disturbing a stack of papers as he leans forward on his desk to peer curiously at the zombie. "of course you are free to, i just meant... for how long?"  
jiho hadn't thought that far ahead. after a moment, he hesitantly tries, "would two weeks be alright? starting tomorrow after work?"  
"you'll really be gone for that long??" taeil blurts, only to shake his head and instantly add, "i mean, of course, of course, that will be fine." he shuffles through the papers on his desk, pulling one free and scribbling something down on it. "two weeks paid vacation granted."  
"really?" jiho utters a bit dumbfoundedly.  
well, that was easy.  
"keep in mind you will be expected to return directly at the end of the two weeks." taeil tells him, straightening and setting his pen down. "that is, unless you come in and request a longer break." jiho nods his understanding, making to get up.  
"wait a moment, there is..." the ghost stops him, eyes narrowing. "i apologize for my hesitance, but as i recall, you were supposed to be making progress with yukwon." color flares up in jiho's cheek. "did something happen that i should know about?"  
jiho bites his tongue, averting his gaze to the floor. he's even more unwilling to tell taeil of all people about what happened. how would the ghost react to hearing jiho imposed himself on yukwon while they were intoxicated? it definitely doesn't bode well.  
"you're not obligated to tell me or anything, i just thought to ask," taeil says when jiho stays silent. "you have your reasons and i won't pry." jiho looks ups, expression one of gratitude. "however," the station master goes on, "i will not tolerate if your actions hurt yukwon in any way. please try to understand: though i may run this station in as unbiased a manner as possible, i will not hesitate to fire anyone who causes trouble for my friends." jiho gulps, going pale.  
"i won't cause any trouble," he bows his head. taeil scrutinizes him for a minute, seeming to deliberate something before finally smiling.  
"well then, i hope you have a wonderful vacation," he says simply.  
jiho bows his head again, excusing himself from the office and heaving a sigh once outside. he barely has a moment to relax, though, before he hears his name, and he looks up in time to see kyung making his way toward the office.  
"there you are!" the shorter male frowns, arms folded. "i looked all over the station for you. what were you doing?"  
"n-nothing," jiho laughs hastily, steering kyung away from taeil's office. "i was just-" he frantically tries to come up with an excuse, still doesn't particularly feel like explaining things to kyung just yet, "-helping taeil with a few things. sorry i didn't tell you where i was going." kyung gives him a suspicious look, clearly not believing a word of it, but to jiho's relief, minhyuk calls the pair over, successfully distracting the shorter male.  
jiho can't wait to get out of work tomorrow.

 

it's actually a bit disorienting, going through his rounds the next day. it reminds him strongly of his first week at monster express. on occasion he enters yukwon's compartment out of habit, eyeing the empty seat wearily as if the demon will appear if he stares hard enough.  
it's not the first time yukwon has been on a trip. but it is the first time jiho has actually felt unnerved without him there.  
this time, jiho is the one waiting for kyung after they get off work. feeling too drained to even bother to look for the male, he decides to go out by the entrance of the station, the chilly autumn breeze not phasing him as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.  
two weeks. what's he going to do with two weeks, anyway? he can only avoid yukwon for so long; eventually, he's going to have to deal with this, regardless of whether or not he wants to.  
but at least some relaxing might help clear his mind.  
something tells him kyung isn't going to agree when he sees the look on the other male's face.  
"do you know what just happened?" kyung says, irritation laced in his voice. "taeil called me into his office. you wanna know why? he said you're taking a vacation, and he wants me to cover your car while you're gone."  
something also tells him taeil did that on purpose.  
"why the fuck didn't you tell me about this?" kyung demands, loud volume startling a few passersby as they're approaching the station.  
"come on, don't make a scene," jiho pleads quietly, tugging at kyung's arm. "let's just go back to your apartment-"  
"not until you tell me what the hell is going on," the shorter male says decidedly, shaking off jiho's hands. "a two week break? are you insane??"  
jiho wants to roll his eyes. he knew kyung would overreact. he knew it.  
"i'll explain everything, i promise, just.. please, not here," he glances around as another few monsters give them strange looks.  
kyung exhales heavily through his nose, giving jiho a hard stare before finally relinquishing. "fine,"he says shortly. "but you sure as hell better be thorough." he marches past jiho, leaving the zombie to helplessly follow after him.  
he knows he did this to himself, so he figures he deserves kyung's wrath - at least for now.  
the ride to the apartment is quiet for the first time in months. the time usually spent talking about their days is filled with an uncomfortable silence, amplified by kyung's obvious distaste at having to travel all the way home before hearing jiho's explanation.  
jiho hardly has time to change out of his uniform before kyung corners him.  
"spill it. you're hiding something from me," he says, folding his arms again.  
so jiho does, however reluctant he is. from yukwon's condition as a demon and his promise to taeil about teaching yukwon love, to the details of the party and yukwon's oblivious manner from monday.  
"you kissed him?? and he didn't react at all???" kyung exclaims, eyes wide with disbelief. jiho blushes lightly, gazing down at the floor. "is he braindead or something?! goddammit, i ought to-"  
"i still don't know for sure," jiho jumps in nervously. "i mean, there's a possibility he doesn't actually remember-"  
"but you said he remembered when you passed out, right?" kyung frowns as jiho nods feebly. "then trust me, he definitely remembers." jiho bites his lip, shoulders slumping. "bastard," the shorter male mutters. "i don't care if he doesn't know what love is, any person or monster in their right mind would be able to tell by now how you feel."  
jiho wants to argue. maybe it's not that simple. but at this point, he's too exhausted, a part of him even agreeing.  
yukwon should be be able to understand by now. jiho has done everything he can without explicitly explaining love to the demon - and that's something he doubts he'd ever have the guts to do.  
shouldn't it be enough already? shouldn't yukwon have figured it out?  
"so that's it, then?" kyung's voice draws him back. "you're running away?"  
"that's not..." jiho falters, guilt tugging at him. it sounds more pathetic when he puts it that way.  
but there's no way he can handle seeing yukwon right now, not like this.  
after a moment, kyung lets out a sigh, reaching out and patting the taller male's shoulder. "it's okay," he says. "i've got your back. i'll let you know if anything happens while you're away." jiho gives his friend a grateful look.  
"just... for my sake, don't be a jerk to yukwon, okay?" he says, and kyung arches an eyebrow. "i just don't want him to feel uncomfortable. come on! all you have to do is be civilized."  
"fine," kyung grumbles, "but i don't like it. he doesn't deserve my goodwill." jiho frowns at him until he adds, "i'm serious! with the way he's been treating you-"  
"just promise me you'll be relatively nice to him," jiho interjects. "for my sake."  
"i got it," kyung sighs. "i'll be nice."  
jiho smiles. "thanks."  
well, two weeks it is. jiho hopes it's enough time to sort out his feelings and work up the courage to see yukwon again.

 

 

kyung doesn't get it. he really doesn't get it.  
how is it possible for yukwon not to be madly in love with jiho by now?  
maybe he's looking at it from a biased point of view (jiho is, after all, his best friend), but no matter which way he looks at it, there can only be one answer: yukwon really does like jiho, even if he doesn't know it yet.  
he needs a plan of action here. if he's going to be manning jiho's car (and getting to see minhyuk more than once a day; lord, that's going to affect his attention span), it's the perfect opportunity to meet yukwon and see what makes him tick - and determine once and for all if he's worthy of jiho.  
but first things first, he has an alarmed werewolf to calm down.  
"kyung?" minhyuk asks, peering at the male for a long moment as if trying to ascertain if he really is standing there in the entrance of the train. "what are you doing?"  
"taeil didn't tell you?" kyung says casually, closing the door behind him. "jiho's on vacation, so i'm here to sub for-" he's cut off as the werewolf suddenly steps forward, pinning him to the door with a light thud. "-him," he finishes in a squeak.  
"i don't think this is going to work," minhyuk says huskily, leaning closer until his face is a mere inch from kyung's. "working the same train..." kyung swallows hard as finger tease along his abdomen underneath his uniform jacket "... it entails a different kind of work, don't you think...?"  
well, he certainly hadn't prepared for this prior to boarding the train, but there's no harm in a little bit of fun before they let passengers on.  
minhyuk's lips tantalizingly hover just above his, and he feels the werewolf smirk, hesitating for a bit longer before clearing the small distance.  
but they barely kiss for more than a few seconds. "hyung, isn't it time to open the doors?" comes a voice from behind minhyuk, and kyung is hurriedly pushing the werewolf off of him. "i thought-" the voice belongs to a tall male with surprisingly sharp teeth, most likely the vampire jiho had told kyung about. the poor boy's eyes widen as he registers what he just saw, face turning pink with realization. "o-oh gosh, i didn't mean to- i'm so sorry!" he gasps.  
"it's okay, jihoon," minhyuk chuckles, shooting kyung a look. "you're right, we should open the doors. here, why don't you show kyung to the third car?" putting his hands on the human's hips (an action that makes kyung grunt in protest), he shifts their positions so that he's next to the door. "i'll let the passengers in."  
"you're cruel," kyung mutters only loud enough for minhyuk to hear, pouting disappointedly.  
"we can continue during lunch break," the werewolf whispers cheekily, turning the door handle. kyung tries to force the blush from his cheeks as he turns to follow jihoon.  
"so... your name is kyung?" the tall male asks, still a little pink-faced.  
"yeah, park kyung," he introduces. "and you're jihoon, right?"  
"that's right," the vampire nods, giving a small smile. "aren't you jiho's friend? i thought you worked on train 6."  
"i do," kyung shrugs, "but i'll be helping out here while jiho is on vacation."  
"he's on vacation?" jihoon pauses, surprise lighting his expression. "since when?"  
"since yesterday." kyung looks around before asking, "so is this the third car?"  
"yeah," jihoon nods, brow furrowing in confusion.  
"and which compartment is yukwon's?" the human further inquires, causing jihoon's brow to furrow even more.  
"the one on the end," he answers, pointing, "but he's on a trip and won't be back until tomorrow."  
"interesting," kyung nods. "very interesting..." so yukwon will be back the next day. tomorrow will be the start of the investigation. "and so it begins..."  
"what begins?" jihoon asks, bewildered.  
"oh, nothing," kyung hums.

 

"... you're not thinking of doing anything weird, are you?" minhyuk's voice draws kyung's gaze from the last compartment door. he turns to see the werewolf eyeing him with a mixture of amusement and uncertainty. "with the way you've been staring holes into that door, i'd say i'm a little worried." kyung grins sheepishly.  
"i'm not plotting anything," he says, wrapping his arms around minhyuk's waist. "honestly." his words don't fool minhyuk for an instant.  
"there's something you want to tell me, but you don't know if you should," he says thoughtfully, observing the way kyung's expression hardens. "it's been on your mind since yesterday, but you haven't decided whether or not you can talk to me about it."  
"....dammit," the human mumbles, reserve cracking almost immediately. "am i really that obvious?"  
"perhaps not, but i've gotten fairly good at reading your moods," minhyuk chuckles. "why don't you tell me about it after you do your rounds? you clearly can't wait to meet yukwon."  
"got that right," kyung nods eagerly. "it's time for me to see if this guy is really worth all the hype."  
minhyuk laughs, shaking his head as kyung detaches himself and grabs his cart. "meet me at the front area just outside the first car whenever you're ready," the werewolf says, and kyung nods again.  
saving that compartment for last, kyung makes his way through the car. as expected (at least, in his opinion), he gets along remarkably well with jiho's vips, a few even stating they prefer him over jiho (or maybe he's exaggerating a little bit - one lady definitely looked like she wanted to say it when she tasted kyung's artfully made decaf coffee).  
but what he really likes is the power he feels when he opens the door to yukwon's compartment and watches the demon's expression change from one of enthusiasm to one of complete alarm.  
"you're not jiho," yukwon says, blinking a few times as if his eyes are playing tricks on him.  
okay, jiho really hadn't been lying when he's said from the get go that yukwon was attractive. it's certainly intimidating. kyung fully understands jiho's pain.  
"how very astute of you," the human smiles passive aggressively. "my name is kyung, and i'm subbing for jiho at the present." he begins preparing yukwon's drink as the demon processes this.  
"wait, you're the kyung? jiho's friend?" yukwon asks interestedly, seeming unaware of kyung's first remark.  
"so he told you about me?" the human says, slightly apprehensive. well, he only referred to him as "jiho's friend," so that's hopefully a sign that jiho didn't say anything bad about him.  
"yes," yukwon smiles briefly, an expression that's enough to put butterflies in even kyung's stomach, but the smile is quickly replaced by an anxious frown. "what do you mean subbing for jiho? is he unwell? did something happen?"  
what's this? kyung thinks smugly. concerned now that he's no longer around, huh?  
"no, everything's fine," he says, putting on his best professional grin as he hands yukwon the finished coffee, "he's just taking a break."  
"a break?" yukwon repeats, frowning. "what do you mean? for how long?"  
and that's when the idea strikes him. kyung gets them (sometimes), good ideas. this one is exceptionally good, though, and if he is anything of a good plotter, he'll definitely utilize it.  
"i'm afraid i can't say," he says, feigning guilt. "it's indefinite, for now."  
"really??" yukwon's eyes widen. "but-" he nearly drops the drink kyung had given him just moments ago, seeming to have forgotten he'd been holding it. salvaging the cup, and recovering his grip, he continues, voice faltering, "why didn't he... tell me...?"  
abruptly, kyung does feel a real pang of guilt. yukwon's disappointment and unsettlement appear more real than he'd expected.  
uh oh. if he spends too much time in here, he might end up rooting for him.  
"don't worry," he adds after a moment of consideration, "it's not like he'll be gone forever. he'll be back at some point." yukwon doesn't look convinced.  
"thanks for the coffee," the demon mutters distractedly. kyung bows his head, more than glad to excuse himself from the compartment.  
for now, he needs a little more information. and perhaps a different viewpoint on the whole situation.

 

kyung finds minhyuk where the werewolf specified he'd be waiting. the two settle with their backs against the counter, minhyuk giving kyung a curious look.  
"jiho would probably kill me if he found out i'm telling you this," the human says with a nervous laugh. "i probably shouldn't. but i feel like you'll have better insight than me."  
"that depends," a grin tugs at the corners of minhyuk's mouth. "what's this about?"  
"it's this jiho-yukwon thing," kyung sighs dramatically. "you probably have more of the details than i do, but the state of affairs is giving me a headache!" minhyuk cocks an eyebrow. "okay, i have to know where to start. did jiho tell you about what happened at the party?"  
"no, he refused when i asked," the werewolf shakes his head. "but from the way he was acting, i knew something was up."  
"so you don't know he-" kyung cuts himself off, hesitating out of guilt. jiho really is not going to like him blabbing about this...  
"he what?" minhyuk prompts when he stays quiet.  
kyung glances around before going on in a hushed voice, "he kissed yukwon after the party."  
"really?" the werewolf's eyes widen in surprise. "i hardly expected he'd have the courage, drunk or not."  
"yeah, but get this," kyung says, pursing his lips; "jiho said yukwon didn't so much as react when he tried to bring it up."  
minhyuk is silent for a moment. "well, they were both intoxicated, right?" he suggests reluctantly, "is it possible-?"  
"jiho said yukwon remembered everything," kyung interjects, immediately sensing the other male's direction. minhyuk gives him a perplexed look.  
"how strange. from a logical standpoint, something as intimate as a kiss seems like it would be a good way to express such feelings as love," the werewolf muses.  
"that's what i told jiho!" kyung cuts in.  
"but i'm afraid in yukwon's case, it's possible it wouldn't be enough," minhyuk raises a brow as the human frustratedly folds him arms. "think about a scenario like this: a child finds his parents kissing; unused to that sort of intimacy, he doesn't know what it means. at first, he may attribute it to be the same affection his parents show when caring for him, but it is only when he asks them the meaning behind the kiss that he really begins to understand it." kyung scrunches up his face.  
"what is this, a bedtime story?" he grumbles. after a moment of thought, he hesitantly asks, "so you're saying yukwon is like a child?"  
"precisely!" minhyuk smiles, pleased. "at least, his understanding of emotions is similar to that of a child's. i think for him to realize that jiho's kiss was something more than just a casual gesture, he needs to learn the difference between simple, friendly affection and intimacy."  
"so you're saying... that he probably does like jiho?" kyung questions, giving minhyuk a suspicious look.  
"i have every faith that he does," the werewolf chuckles. "if you'd seen the two interact as many times as i have, you would agree." kyung pouts.  
"i would have seen it! it's not my fault i work on a different train..." the human averts his gaze to the floor. "i'd have loved to be more helpful than this. if i could have stepped in earlier, they'd probably already be together by now!"  
minhyuk laughs. "you obviously care a lot about jiho," he says, smiling warmly when blush colors kyung's face.  
"well, he is my best friend after all," kyung mumbles, embarrassed.  
"you know, i..." minhyuk pauses, seeming to think twice about his statement. he reaches out, wrapping an arm around kyung's waist before continuing. "i've been wondering. the reason you wanted to work at monster express... i know i've asked you before, but the reason is because of jiho, correct?" kyung's blush fades and his expression softens, shifting to lean more comfortably against minhyuk.  
"i guess i was just feeling clingy," he says quietly. "sure this was a great opportunity, and looking back on it, i'm really glad i decided to work here, but..." minhyuk's grip around him tightens encouragingly. "... to be honest, it was an impulsive decision.  
"when jiho... you know, when he died, i... it was hard. for a whole month, i kinda had to deal with thoughts like oh yeah, i'm never gonna see him again, huh. i thought, so this is what it feels like to lose someone important. and when he suddenly came back it was like... i don't know, i had the realization that i didn't want to lose him again. we've been friends for forever, you know?" he exhales deeply, blush returning brighter than before. "god, listen to me. pathetic, right?"  
"no," minhyuk says, still smiling, "it's actually very sweet." kyung lifts his hands in an attempt to cover his continually reddening face. "you're a good friend. jiho is lucky to have you."  
"cut it out," kyung mutters, voice muffled, "you're embarrassing me."  
"and you know who else is lucky to have you?" the werewolf continues, changing position in order to press kyung against the counter, hands on either side to prevent the human's escape. "me." he smirks as he gently presses his lips to kyung's neck, revelling when kyung stifles a moan of protest.  
"not now, minhyuk," he says, breath hitching as minhyuk moves up along his jaw, nipping tenderly at his ear. "c-come on, we're at work..." he trails off, unwittingly reaching up to grab a fistful of minhyuk's jacket. the werewolf lets out a low chuckle, finding kyung's lips and allowing kyung to tug him closer.  
but as if to affirm kyung's statement, they're interrupted again; and this time, jihoon catches on much more quickly.  
"hyung, have you seen-" he stops dead in his tracks, eyes popping out as kyung and minhyuk hurriedly separate. "fuck- s-sorry!" he wheezes, immediately disappearing the way he'd come.  
the pair stare after him for a moment before glancing at each other and bursting into laughter.  
"no more of this stuff while we're working," kyung commands, attempting to catch his breath. "i swear to god, if you even come within two feet of me-"  
"alright, i got it," minhyuk laughs, bark in his voice. kyung has come to realize that when the werewolf is particular happy, he develops that bark timbre, and kyung really likes it.  
well, better get back to work before the urge kiss minhyuk again overwhelms him.

 

perhaps it's a little annoying, the way yukwon has yet to stop inquiring about jiho. kyung is far too fascinated to really let it bug him, though. it shows that yukwon really is concerned, and that counts for something.  
"any idea when jiho will be back?" yukwon asks eagerly.  
"for the last time, no," kyung replies, giving him a look. "that's the seventh time you've asked me this week. and i've only been working this train for four days!"  
yukwon pouts, folding his arms. "you're his friend, so i feel like you would be the first one to know," the demon says with a wistful sigh. "i didn't believe you at first, but taeil said not even he knew when jiho is going to be back..."  
"wait, taeil said that??" kyung utters, astonished. "i mean," he straightens his jacket, "of course he did." he hadn't considered that yukwon would go to taeil; the fact that taeil went along with it is, however, enough to reassure him that the ghost is on his side. it's nice to have someone with authority to back him up.  
".... you're sure nothing's wrong with him, right?" yukwon says, eyes searching kyung as the male stiffens. "you're sure he's not sick?"  
"oh, he's perfectly healthy," kyung says wryly. healthy enough to purposefully injure himself to try and stop thinking about you, he silently adds. he recalls, with vehemence, having to hide all the sharp objects in his apartment over the weekend.  
"it's not... something i did... is it?" yukwon asks slowly, again watching kyung for a sign. the human gives him a terse smile.  
"no, of course not. whatever gave you that idea?" he says, and before yukwon has any time to respond, he whisks out of the compartment.  
okay, he's starting to get annoyed.

 

something of a turning point is reached on the day marking the start of jiho's second week of break.  
minhyuk and kyung are alone during their lunch break, eating while kyung whines about the situation to the werewolf.  
"i just don't get it you know?" he says, irritation plain on his face as he watches minhyuk eat. "and i don't know what to do. i told jiho he should come back early and just talk to yukwon, but he won't listen to me. like, he won't even acknowledge that i'm trying to help! i feel so underappreciated."  
"i appreciate you," minhyuk says, chuckling when kyung glares at him. "well then, maybe you should just stop trying."  
"but- that would go against everything i stand for!" the human brandishes a fist. "i can't just sit around! jiho's not gonna accomplish anything on his own. i mean, look at him!"  
"that's not what i meant," minhyuk says, clearly amused. "is it possible the solution is far simpler than you think? perhaps it will come to you, when the time is ready." kyung still looks displeased.  
"but how am i supposed to know when that is? for all we know, that could take too long, and by then it'll be too late-"  
"you worry too much," minhyuk laughs.  
"and you don't worry enough," kyung grumbles. "how do you manage to stay so calm all the time?" he folds his arms. "while i'm sitting here waiting for the solution, jiho could be looking for even more ways to get out of coming back here-"  
"if you don't stop complaining, i'm going to have to kiss you," minhyuk interrupts, grinning as kyung slaps a hand over his mouth.  
"don't you dare," the human mutters. "that vampire kid has a sixth sense, you know he'll come in here right after you do."  
"is that a challenge?" minhyuk arches a brow, chuckling as kyung's eyes widen.  
"lee minhyuk, don't you dare!" he says shrilly, letting out a noise of protest as the other male corners him. "i'm warning you-!" he's lost to a grunt as he's forced to brace himself against the counter.  
"you need to relax," minhyuk says slyly, and before kyung has another chance to protest, he leans in and captures kyung's lips.  
as usual, the human is quick (despite his initial refusal) to kiss back, shifting to lace both arms around minhyuk's hips.  
but, as kyung predicted, they're interrupted once again. the intruder, however, isn't who he'd expected.  
"minhyuk, are you back here?" comes a familiar voice. minhyuk hurriedly pulls back and kyung covers his face out of embarrassment.  
"yukwon," minhyuk says hastily, stepping away from the human and clearing his throat, "you don't usually come back this way. do you need something?"  
"yeah, i..." yukwon pauses, staring disconcertedly between the pair. "i seem to have lost some important papers and thought they might have fallen out of my briefcase when i got on the train."  
"i haven't seen any papers over here, have you, kyung?" the werewolf glances at kyung, who shakes his head, still covering his face with both hands. "sorry, yukwon. maybe you left them at home."  
"that's probably it," yukwon nods vaguely, continuing to stare. after a moment, he slowly asks, "... what you were just doing... what is that?"  
finally, kyung's head snaps up. "y-you mean kissing?" he says uncertainly.  
"is that what it is?" yukwon's face lights up with interest. "and, um, why do you do it?"  
kyung exchanges a look with minhyuk, seeming to ask if it's okay to answer. minhyuk's suppressed smile is all he needs.  
maybe he was right after all; kyung thinks the solution just walked right into the palm of his hand.

 

 

monotony is the only word jiho can think of to describe the last week. it's too pathetic, really.  
a vacation had seemed like a good idea in theory, but it turned out thinking about and executing it were two entirely different things.  
relax? the only thing he'd actually accomplished was a new record in the amount of time spent laying around kyung's apartment, but he hardly thinks that could count as relaxing. especially when he considers how much time he spent miserably failing to not think about yukwon's smile or yukwon's voice or yukwon's touch or-  
jiho groans, rolling over on the couch and burying his face in the crevice between the cushion and the pillow. this is so fucking stupid. jiho is an idiot, a coward, and this is the most ridiculous situation he's ever put himself in.  
it would be so much easier to just go back to work. to sort things out. to stop cowering behind anxieties and just be honest for once.  
but it's already been a week. a week and a day. and jiho has continually let his nerves get the better of him. he has this absurd fear that by the time he does go back to work, yukwon will have lost all interest in him.  
god, he's so frustrated.  
"i'm home," kyung calls as he lets himself in. jiho lifts his head as the shorter male enters the living room and gives him a pitying look. "you're still on the couch? don't tell me you spent the whole day there again."  
"is it already after 6:00?" jiho mutters, forcing himself to sit up. "how was... work?" dammit. he'd almost said yukwon.  
"good," kyung says with a grin. "the train wasn't very busy today. it was nice." he disappears briefly into the bedroom to change out of his uniform and jiho lays his head back down, sighing dispiritedly. "oh, by the way," kyung pokes his head out, "i saw jaehyo before i left the station. he asked how you were doing, so i told him the truth."  
"what? that i'm wasting away?" jiho gives him a look.  
"that you're hanging in there," kyung laughs, ducking back into the room for a moment before reappearing. "he also told me to tell you - i mean, it means nothing to me, but i guess it'll make sense to you - that things worked out with the bartender...?"  
for the first time in a while, a smile tugs at jiho's lips. he vaguely remembers the pretty girl from the party, her nervous request for him to apologize for her. he remembers drunkenly telling jaehyo in the ride back, after...  
jiho noticed kyung staring at him, an odd look in his eye. "you know," kyung starts, folding his arms and continuing to eye the zombie, "you should come back to work. tomorrow, even." jiho's eyes widen significantly.  
"wh-what??" he exclaims.  
"don't you think it's been long enough?" kyung smiles sheepishly. "come on. everybody misses you." he seems to hesitate before adding, "yukwon misses you." jiho pretends his stomach doesn't twist into knots.  
after a pause, he weakly asks, "... he does...?" kyung nods fervently.  
"he asks me about you everyday. i know it may not be what you want to hear, but i think it'd help both of you if you came back," he says. "trust me."  
it's bad. jiho thinks he may be sold, resolve melting at the mere mention of the demon's name. it really has been too long, and there's something in kyung's words that has him full of anticipation.  
maybe he's right. maybe it's time for jiho to stop moping around and fix this.  
"okay," he agrees.

 

it's a little weird to get up with kyung again in the morning. the shorter male seems delighted by it, though, and hums the entire way to the station.  
the first stop is taeil's office. he's talking with minhyuk when the pair enters, and their conversation immediately come to a halt.  
"jiho, you're back!" minhyuk says, surprised.  
taeil appears just as surprised, but there's a hint of something in his expression that unsettles jiho just the smallest bit, as if the ghost knows something he doesn't.  
"you wish to come back early?" taeil asks for clarification.  
"yes," jiho says, bowing his head. "i know my original request was for two weeks, but i don't think the full time is necessary. i hope that is acceptable."  
"of course, of course!" the station master declares, waving a hand as he uses the other to search through a stack of papers. "you will resume working the number 1 train. kyung, you will return to the number 6." kyung also bows his head, exchanging a look with minhyuk when he lifts it.  
"it's good to have you back, jiho," the werewolf addresses him with a smile. "i know there were some who sorely missed you." jiho gulps, nodding once.  
"well, this is great and all, but i'm terribly busy and you all have your respective trains to attend." taeil waves his hand again, "now shoo, i have work to do."  
"we'll finish later," minhyuk tells him. "come on you two," he beckons kyung and jiho to follow him out of the office.  
"what were you guys talking about?" the human asks, a look of knowing in his eye that confuses jiho.  
"oh, nothing of much importance," minhyuk responds, smiling again.  
jiho gets the feeling he missed something.  
however he's distracted the moment he sees the train. he's hit with a mix of fondness at working there again after over a week, and crippling anxiety at the thought of seeing yukwon. he's already made up his mind so there's no going back, but it doesn't stop him from feeling awfully light headed as he takes his first step on board.  
"good luck," kyung says, and he turns to give his friend an appreciative look. "you'll be fine. in fact, i'm inclined to say you'll be much more than fine in a little bit." jiho's expression morphs to bewilderment.  
"what's that suppose to mean?" he asks suspiciously, but kyung just grins cheekily and bids goodbye before hurrying to catch his own train. bastard, jiho thinks bitterly.  
"jiho!!" jihoon bursts out when he sees the zombie, tearfully stepping forward and throwing his arms around him. "i am so glad you're back!"  
"you're smothering me," jiho mumbles, laughing lightly when jihoon hurriedly lets go of him.  
"sorry, it's just..." the vampire shoots an awkward glance in minhyuk's direction. ".... there was some stuff i didn't want to see and..." jiho understands without him having to say anything more. "anyway, i can't tell you how wonderful it is to have you back."  
"thanks," jiho laughs again.  
he reasons it'll help him prepare to see yukwon again if he waits elsewhere while passengers board. of course, it's only an excuse, but biding more time is the only thing he can do right now. he still doesn't know what to say when he gets to the compartment.  
no matter what, everything sounds too fake. there's no way around it. the only explanation he can give is the truth; and that's probably why he's struggling so much.  
"your rounds," minhyuk reminds him when he still hasn't moved from his hiding place. "don't want to run behind on your first day back, do you?"  
"of course not," jiho says defensively, but he stays where he is. minhyuk observes him for a moment, amusement on his face.  
"it can't be that bad," he says, startling jiho into glancing over at him again. "it was only a week. you're not worried about seeing the passengers again, are you?"  
"that's not..." he trails off, biting his lip. well, there's definitely one he's worried about.  
"you'll be fine. trust me," minhyuk smiles. "you may be pleasantly surprised by what a little bit of time apart can solve." jiho's brow furrows.  
"what do you mean...?" he starts to ask, the offhand tone of the werewolf's voice sounding all too familiar. "wait, you and kyung did something, didn't you?!"  
"certainly," minhyuk beams, chuckling as jiho stares at him in outrage.  
"what did you do??" the zombie demands.  
"your rounds, jiho" minhyuk simply reminds him again, laughing once more as jiho sends another glare in his direction.  
"you and kyung suck. so much," he mutters before frustratedly locating his cart and scrambling to make it to the third car in time.

 

jiho stands far too long outside yukwon's compartment. he taps his fingers along the handle of his cart, thinks, taps a little more, and thinks until his brain hurts.  
all it will take is for him to reach out, slide the door open and walk inside to greet the demon. a "hey, i'm back," maybe catch up on what he's been up to, and apologize for being weird before he left.  
of course, there's still that explanation he's been working on, but he's kind of saving that in case yukwon doesn't ask about it.  
for the seventh time (no, he hasn't been keeping count; don't ask) jiho reaches up to open the door, and for the seventh time, he hesitates.  
what if it turns out yukwon is really mad at him? or what if he doesn't even care that jiho was gone? kyung did say yukwon missed him. but then again, he doesn't know how reliable of a source kyung is.  
and there's the suspicious way he, minhyuk and taeil were acting. minhyuk said they did something. what the hell does that even mean??  
sighing, he lowers his hand. this is so pathetic. absolutely pitiful. he's garbage. can't even open the fucking door.  
but he has to do something.  
finally, his fingers lock on the handle. he's two seconds from pulling the door open when, to his complete astonishment, the door opens on its own.  
"-know it's not his train, but kyung doesn't have to run so late-" yukwon is saying. it takes him less than an instant to notice jiho and he immediately freezes, eyes widening considerably. "j-jiho," he mutters, "y-you're back!"  
it takes jiho a moment of savoring the demon's appearance - his suit, messy silver hair, lips slightly parted in sheer surprise; god jiho missed him so much - to be able to muster a reply.  
however, before he has a chance, and to further his astonishment, yukwon abruptly pulls him into compartment, closing the door and ignoring his protests of, "w-wait, yukwon, my cart! my cart!"  
jiho’s voice catches in his throat (as does his breath) while yukwon silently looks him over. the demon’s expression is unreadable, and jiho hardly knows what to think, already feeling blush rapidly color his cheeks. what could possibly be going through yukwon’s head?  
and just when he starts to think that maybe he should say something, it happens.   
yukwon takes one step forward, clearing the distance between the two of them, and sloppily kisses him. jiho forgets how to think, breathe, and nearly falls over, managing to brace one arm against the door as he finds balance in grabbing a fistful of yukwon’s jacket.   
when the demon draws back, cheeks flushed and ears tipped red, jiho’s mind kicks back into motion, a million thoughts colliding as he tries to process what just happened.  
“i... you-” is all he gets out before yukwon is leaning in and kissing him again, stronger this time, pushing jiho up against the door. the zombie grunts as his back makes contact with the hard surface, still unable to react much more than to weakly grip yukwon’s waist. it’s all he can do to keep his knees from buckling underneath him.  
after a short while longer, yukwon pulls away again, still blushing. he takes a step back, allowing jiho a little room to move, only to hurriedly reach out and help the zombie regain his balance.  
“i…” the demon begins, voice almost as unsteady as jiho himself. “i know i don’t know a lot about many emotions. up until now, the only emotions i knew were the ones taeil, the monster express employees, and my coworkers at seven seasons could teach me. i don’t have a lot of experience, but i’m learning. and thanks to you, i…” he trails off, gazing at jiho fondly - yes, it is definitely fondness this time; jiho can tell.   
this is certainly not going how jiho expected. but he’s actually getting used to nothing ever going the way he expects.  
“i never knew there was something more than affection,” yukwon softly goes on. “when i first met you, i thought… it just seemed like i had formed something of an attachment to you, and i didn’t really think much of it. but i think… i think it’s more than that.  
“it’s… love, isn’t it?” jiho feels color flood to his face. “that’s the emotion you make me feel. er, that i feel for you. is that… how to say it?” the demon bites his lip, fixing jiho with a flustered look. “i-i’m still really new to this, i don’t know if i’m doing it right-”   
without waiting for him to finish, jiho quickly leans in and kisses him a third time. it’s even better than before; yukwon is a fast learner, he decides. no doubt about it.  
“trust me,” he murmurs into the demon’s mouth, “you’re definitely doing it right.”  
“i’m sorry,” yukwon mutters, hanging onto jiho’s waist as the zombie pulls away. “about the first time you k-kissed me. at the time, i didn’t know what it meant. i thought- but then kyung said-” jiho’s eyes widen.  
“kyung said?” he repeats incredulously.   
yukwon shrinks a little. “y-yes, i, um,” he hesitates, “i saw minhyuk and him k-kissing and… wh-when i asked, he said it was something you do, um, with someone you… love.”  
oh. so that’s what kyung and minhyuk did.   
oh.  
“i-i hope you’re not mad,” the demon continues anxiously when jiho doesn’t speak. “kyung also- i mean, he was the one who explained what the feeling of love is. if i hadn’t- that is to say, if he hadn’t clarified for me, i would still…” he trails off, blush spreading across his face. “s-sorry, i really don’t know what’s gotten into me! i’m not usually so inarticulate.”  
the first thing jiho thinks is that flustered yukwon is possibly the best thing in existence.   
it’s followed pretty closely, though, by the thought that he owes kyung a huge, heartfelt thank you. kyung hadn’t been lying when he’d said yukwon missed him. his words, however suspicious, were with good intentions. he had no idea kyung cared enough to help this much.  
well, at any rate, he’ll worry about that later. more important right now is the adorably embarrassed demon still clinging to his waist.  
and the only thing on his mind is all the spare time he has before his next rounds. there’s a lot more to teach yukwon when it comes to such a complex emotion as love, afterall.   
“i like it,” he says, leaning closer to touch the tips of their noses together. “i like you.”   
yukwon’s blush deepens. “i… like you, too,” he mumbles.  
there’s one other thing jiho discovers he owes kyung - an annoyed punch when yukwon informs him that kyung hadn’t disclosed how long his vacation would be.

 

jiho finds it amusing that no one - and he means no one - is surprised now that he and yukwon are together. not that he expected anyone to be; more or less, everything stays the same. mornings are normal, rounds are normal, and he still spends his free time in the demon’s compartment. the only thing that really changes is what they do with that free time.  
when the news reaches taeil (which is exceedingly quickly, as usual), he has a hard time figuring out if the station master is pleased or irritated.  
“my only condition is no public romance,” taeil says, mouth forming a straight line. “like that!” he adds, pointing at the way jiho’s fingers automatically reach for yukwon’s. “don’t do it in my office!”  
“come on, taeil, no need to get protective,” yukwon laughs, holding onto jiho’s hand. “you’re not jealous, are you?” taeil gives an exaggerated frown.  
“of course not, don’t be ridiculous,” he scoffs, arms folded. “i’m only thinking of the comfort of the passengers of my trains! i don’t want-”  
“we get it,” jiho cuts in, suppressing a grin as the ghost gives him a put out look. “i think it’s sweet that you’re feeling protective of yukwon.”   
“i’m not!” taeil exclaims, proving that even ghosts can blush. “you don’t understand, it’s because-” he stops himself, frustration evident as he deliberates before going on. “i suppose there’s no harm in telling you now, it’s been long enough.” yukwon gives him a confused look.  
“tell me what?” the demon asks curiously.  
“both of you will have wondered about this, i’m sure, so i guess i’ll just come clean,” taeil exhales, still frowning. “yukwon, i know you’ve asked me before, and i never gave you a straight answer. how i knew your birth emotion, and why you were conceived prematurely…” jiho and yukwon exchange a look, “the reason is because you were born of my own emotion.”   
“what??” yukwon’s eyes widen. “what do you mean?”  
“it was around the time when i… well, when i became a ghost, it took me a while to accept my fate,” taeil smiles darkly. “i had a rough time, and was in a bad place. but it was only a short lived burst of hatred, so you can guess my alarm when i discovered you.”  
“so that’s why you took care of him?” jiho asks, understanding washing over him. “out of-”  
“yes. i am ashamed to admit that in the beginning, the only reason i took yukwon in was out of a sense of obligation,” taeil finishes for him, pursing his lips. “a spawn of my hatred, and premature at that, i felt it was my duty to look after you. of course, as you began to learn and experience more, i found myself quite attached.” he hesitates, squirming in his chair. “i’m sorry for hiding this from you, yukwon. i didn’t want you to know that i…” his voice falters, expression softening. “… you have a good opinion of me, and i didn’t want you to know that i haven’t always been the ghost i am now.”  
the demon stays silent a moment, deep in thought. just when taeil opens his mouth to speak again, a smile spreads across yukwon’s face, and he warmly says, “why would that effect my opinion of you? you’re still the taeil that took care of me, and thanks to you, i am able to stand here today. thanks to you, i was able to meet many wonderful people, including jiho.” he shoots a brief look at the zombie, who can’t help but grin back. “thank you for everything.”  
this is obviously not the response taeil had expected. after staring at the demon for a few seconds, the ghost deflates on his desk, burying his face in his hands. “i take it back,” he mutters, voice muffled. “the rule about romance. be as romantic as you want. i don’t care.” yukwon’s smile widens even more. “just. go, before i change my mind.”  
jiho nudges yukwon lightly, mischievous look in his eye as he gestures to his lips. yukwon tilts his head, puzzled, before he understands. in the next moment, he leans in and kisses jiho, arms wrapping around the zombie’s torso.  
“you two are awfully quiet, did you leave yet-” taeil lifts his head, freezing when he notices the pair in front of him. one of his eyes twitches.   
jiho is almost certain the whole station could hear their laughter as taeil chased them out, shrilly shouting, “not in my office!!”  
he never does reinstate a ban on public romance, though.


End file.
